


The Trip of a Lifetime

by DoctorpooandtheTURDIS



Series: The New Adventures of Doctor Who [5]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (1963), Doctor Who (2005), Halo (Video Games) & Related Fandoms, Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: F/M, Neil Hargrove's Gonna Get What He Fucking Deserves, Shepard Appears In Chapter 26 Don't Worry, Slow Burn, Telepathy, Time Travel, Will becomes a companion of the Doctor
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-17
Updated: 2020-10-03
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:14:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 45
Words: 79,510
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25961149
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DoctorpooandtheTURDIS/pseuds/DoctorpooandtheTURDIS
Summary: After the disastrous events of the Fourth of July, Will Byers is plagued by night terrors. During one episode, he sees an oddly-shaped statue in his backyard that he knows does not belong.And then, he embarks on a journey unlike any other.
Relationships: Cortana/John-117 | Master Chief, Eleven | Jane Hopper/Mike Wheeler, The Doctor/The Master (Doctor Who), Will Byers/Susan Foreman
Series: The New Adventures of Doctor Who [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1840504
Comments: 5
Kudos: 11





	1. Touched by an Angel, Part One

_August 5 th, 1985. _

Will Byers lay in his bed, in his room, in his house in the town of Hawkins. Despite outward appearances, he was not asleep.

No, in fact, he was wide awake, mind being repeatedly assaulted by the mental images of the events at Starcourt. Despite the fact that it was almost a month ago, Will consistently lay awake at night, the image of the eldritch monster, El being yanked into the air by a fleshy tentacle screaming as she struggled to hold onto their hands, the smoke choking his lungs as he fought to get out of the burning mall, all flashing in his mind whenever he got even close to sleep.

Will sighed, his eyes slowly looking over to the clock on his nightstand. 1:11 it read. Will sighed again, sitting up as he knew he wasn’t going to be getting any sleep.

Will yawned, getting out of bed, heading towards the kitchen. His throat felt dry and so, reaching into one of the cabinets, pulled out a glass, filling it up at the tap.

Will let out a contented sigh, going back for more, eyebrows furrowing as he looked out the window.

Since when did they have an angel statue in their backyard?

Will blinked, and the statue was gone, the boy recoiling from the window in shock. He bumped into something, and quickly whipped around.

The angel statue was inside now, hands raised like claws ready to strike, face locked in a snarl.

Will blinked again.

****

The time rotor rose and fell, the sound the engines produced vibrating the entire vessel, as the TARDIS drifted aimlessly through the time vortex.

A vinyl record (<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylGB8-amWNk>) was being played by a gramophone on the upper level of the console, the darkened console room being illuminated by the time rotor in the center like a fireplace.

The Doctor lounged in a recliner on the upper level, enjoying some Jelly Babies set aside for him by Susan, (who’d picked out all the blue ones for herself the cheeky little-) as he read the tercentennial issue of the Beano Annual.

Susan came striding into the console room, a focused look on her face, as she began to root through the many bookshelves and containers dispersed around.

“Susan?” The Doctor looked up from his reading material, down to where she was searching.

“Come on, where are you…?” She mumbled, ignoring the Doctor.

“Susan.” The Doctor repeated.

She continued ignoring him, as she practically tore open one of the old drawers.

“Susan!”

Susan jumped, whipping around to face him. “Oh my…” She clutched the center of her chest. “Don’t scare me like that!”

“Is there a reason why you’re tearing the console room apart?” The Doctor questioned, looking at the disheveled objects now scattered about the room.

“I can’t find my watch.” She answered, going back to searching.

“…Your watch?” The Doctor repeated. “You’re rooting through the console room like a police officer doing a drug search for a _watch_? You have fifty watches!”

Susan sighed theatrically. “It’s my Mickey Mouse one. The one Ace got me when we went to Disney World?”

The Doctor’s mood quickly became somber. “…oh.” He inhaled, letting the footstool down, grabbing his cane, and pushing himself up, marching down the stairs to join her. “Well, in that case, let’s look for it together.”

Susan smiled gratefully. “Thanks.”

The Doctor nodded, joining her in the search. The two time travelers looked through every nook and cranny of the console room, opening every compartment, until finally, Susan let out a satisfied whoop.

“Found it!” Susan proclaimed, as she strapped it back to her wrist.

“Where was it?” The Doctor inquired.

“In here.” She pointed to one of the six panels on the very bottom level of the console room.

The Doctor walked over to the panel in question, frowning. “Odd. You haven’t been doing maintenance on the TARDIS without me, have you?”

Susan shook her head.

“Hm.” The Doctor’s eyebrows stitched together, as he looked into the panel. They shot up, as he reached inside for something else.

“What is it?” Susan asked.

“A note.” The Doctor answered, looking at the small scrap of paper curiously. “Well, I say note, but…” He held it up for Susan to see, just a short segment of space-time coordinates scrawled on it.

Susan frowned. “What are those for?”

“I don’t know.” The Doctor admitted. “But look.” He pointed. “My handwriting.”

“If you wrote it, why don’t you know what it is?”

The Doctor looked at her exasperatedly. “Do _you_ remember every last thing you’ve written down?”

“Yes, actually.”

“Oh… shut up!” The Doctor spluttered.

“So,” Susan looked over the Doctor’s shoulder, “If they’re space-time coordinates, where do they lead?”

“Who knows?” The Doctor began to grin excitedly. “Why don’t we find out?”

****

Will coughed, as he suddenly fell back, into a puddle. His head felt like someone was driving a spike into it, and his view blurred, as the entire world seemed to spin around him.

“Hey, kid, you alright?” A Brooklyn-accented voice questioned, “You look like you’ve been on a hell of a bender.”

“Y-yeah…” Will stuttered, feeling like he was about to vomit. “I’m fine…” His vision cleared, the stars in the night sky glittering overhead. “Where…?”

“Don’t worry, kid, I got you.” The black man held a hand out, helping Will to his feet. “Welcome to Hooverville.”

Will rubbed his head. Though he’d never experienced a hangover himself, he expected it felt something like this. “Hooverville? Where is that?”

“Central Park.” The man answered.

“Central Park…” Will looked around, eyes widening as he looked out on the brightly lit cityscape in the distance. “I’m in New York?”

The man nodded. “Yep. Now, not to be rude, but the last thing me and my people need are the police coming around here tearing up the place accusing us of kidnappin’. Who are you?”

Will glanced back to him, shifting on his feet. “Will.”

“Solomon.” The man returned. “Now, you remember how you got out here?”

“I…” Will frowned, the image of the angel statue practically seared into his mind. “I can’t remember.”

“Drink so much you black out?” Solomon shook his head sympathetically. “More than a few people around here who can understand that.”

Will slowly rotated around, taking in his surroundings. Ramshackle shacks surrounded the two, raggedy-dressed people going about their business. “What’s going on? Why’s everyone dressed like that?”

Solomon raised an eyebrow. “You hit your head or something kid?”

“No,” Will turned back to him, “Why?”

“Kid, ain’t a soul out there that hadn’t seen what the Depression’s done.” Solomon told him.

“Depression?” Will questioned, eyes widening. “The Great Depression!?”

Solomon huffed. “Nothin’ great about it.”

Will looked to the cityscape, and staggered in horror, upon seeing the Empire State Building missing its upper floors…

Or rather, they hadn’t been constructed yet


	2. Touched by an Angel, Part Two

“Are you sure we should be going this way, Don?” A man asked, tugging his heavy coat tighter to keep warm.

“Come on, Ray, don’t be a pussy.” Don shot back, as they approached one of the many, many warehouses closed by the Depression.

“I’m just sayin’,” Ray replied, as he and his friend passed through a hole in the fence, “Place is abandoned, but we don’t want to be caught sneaking around in here by the feds.

“Relax,” Don gestured pushing through the metal door. “I’ve taken this shortcut a dozen times, it’s good.”

“If you say so.” Ray grumbled, entering the room. “Heh.” He chuckled, pointing to the statue in the center of the empty building. “Looks like someone left they art project.” He commented, walking closer to the angel statue in the center.

“No.”

Ray turned around. “What?”

“It wasn’t left.” Don elaborated, locking the door. “It came here on its own.”

Ray frowned. “The hell you talking about, man?”

“Let’s just say…” Don began. “It isn’t a statue of a being from another world. It _is_ one.”

Ray huffed, looking back to the statue, recoiling in shock once he realized it had gotten closer, unfolding its hands from its face.

“The hell…?” Ray muttered, whipping back around to face Don. “This some prank? Well, I ain’t buyin’ it!”

“No,” Don tilted his head, “I assure you, this is all quite real.”

Ray shook his head, going to walk forward, being stopped as he suddenly found himself being held by a stone hand, the angel snarling in his face. He blinked and was gone.

Don blinked, the angel returning to the center of the room, as he straightened his clothes, leaving through the door to find the angel’s next meal.

****

On Liberty Island, down at the base of the Statue of Liberty, the TARDIS materialized, the characteristic wheezing and groaning coming to a stop with a thud, the Doctor peeking his head out.

“Nope!” The Doctor said, slamming the door before Susan could get a look outside.

“Father?” Susan asked, as the Doctor stormed back over to the console.

“I’m not doing it!” The Doctor resolved, looking up at the ceiling of the console room furiously. “You know how I feel about New York!”

“Father.”

“Chicago! Saint Louis! Liberty City! Anywhere you want, that’s not here!” He directed to the TARDIS.

“Doctor!”

“What!?” He whipped back around to Susan.

“What’s the matter with New York?” She inquired, tilting her head.

The Doctor thinned his lips. “…I had a bad day there, a long, long time ago.”

Susan’s expression quickly became gentle, as she placed a hand on his arm. “Do you want to talk about it?” She softly asked, knowing just how bad the Doctor’s bad days were.

“It’s in the past now.” The Doctor replied just as quietly. “Long before you joined back up with me. I’ll make a long story short… I lost two people who were close to me that day.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry…” Susan muttered, pulling him into a hug. “I know it must be difficult for you… But you had to have written those coordinates down for a reason, right?”

The Doctor sighed but agreed. “Right.”

“Then let’s take a look.” Susan began pulling him towards the door. “We don’t have to stay for long.”

The Doctor nodded, keeping her hand in a tight grip, as she led him outside.

The two Time Lords suddenly jumped, as something in the Doctor’s pocket went ‘ding.’ The Doctor’s eyes widened, and he reached into his pocket, pulling out a small, cell phone (we’re talking 80s era) sized device cobbled together out of odds and ends. Susan even thought there was a bicycle bell strapped to one end.

“What is that?” Susan asked, looking at the scrapwork thingy.

“Timey-whimey dectector 2.0.” The Doctor replied. “It goes ‘ding’ when there’s stuff.”

Susan raised an eyebrow.

“Fine,” The Doctor rolled his eyes, “It detects artron energy levels caused by time travel without a capsule, and then dings. Happy?”

“Yes.” Susan replied. “But why do you have that in your pocket? It’s so… bulky.”

“Oi, you should’ve seen the last one!” The Doctor pointed at her defensively. “That model was the size of a lunchbox and weighed about as much as an xbox!” He looked up to the sky in remembrance. “Had a nasty problem with chickens… the tech’s problem, not mine. Got stuck in the sixties without the TARDIS.”

Susan looked inquisitive. “Why were you stuck in the sixties?”

The Doctor sighed uncomfortably. “The Weeping Angels…”

Susan inhaled sharply. “Oh. Those are real?”

“Quite. A lot more real than the bedtime stories would have you believe.” The Doctor tugged on his bow tie. “Well, if someone’s been sent back here by an Angel, we should probably find them. Get them back home before the new timeline cements.”

Susan frowned. “Wouldn’t that starve the angel that did it, returning the person it sent back?”

“Yes.” The Doctor answered simply. Susan didn’t know exactly what events had transpired with the Weeping Angels, but whatever had happened, evidently it was enough to cause the Doctor to be outright scornful of them, in a way she hadn’t seen before.

“Come on,” The Doctor pointed to the other side of the island. “We can catch a ferry to the mainland.”

****

“You’re dreaming…” Will muttered to himself, as he wandered through Central Park, barefoot, still clad in his pajamas. “You’re not in New York, it’s not the Great Depression, you’re going to wake up any second now.”

“Keep tellin’ yourself that kid, maybe it’ll make it true!” Another homeless man heckled as Will passed by.

Will shot the man a dirty glance as he tried to find his way out of the park. Damnit, if he had to somehow get stuck in New York, why couldn’t it have been with someone who knew the way?

Will began to hyperventilate, as found himself thinking. It was obvious he wasn’t dreaming, no matter how much he wanted to believe otherwise. So, what was going to happen? Would the others back home search for him? Would they think he’d up and ran on his own, or that he was taken in the night?

More importantly, was he going to be doomed to live in a time before his, in an era that had only the worst to come?

Will sighed, looking down despondently.

“…It’s this way, father.” Will heard a voice point out in the distance, and his head perked up in response.

“El!” Will recognized hopefully. He didn’t know if time travel was something she could do, but by God, he didn’t care, and broke into a sprint in her direction.

“Watch it, kid.” A man ordered, as Will bumped into him accidently on the way over.

“Sorry!” Will apologized, as he sprinted over, he slowed, eyes widening as he got a good look.

It was her. Not-El, the woman from the woods. The suit she was wearing practically gave it away. However, as opposed to the twenty-something she’d looked upon their meeting in the forest, she looked around closer to his age, give or take a year.

“Heads up, Susan.” The bow tie man at her side poked her with his cane, catching Will staring, pointing at the teen, “Looks like you’ve got an admirer.”

Susan’s head shot up from the device she was holding and flushed. “Oh… be quiet. You.” She directed to Will as they approached him closer. “What year are you from?” She questioned nonchalantly.

“Who? Me?” Will asked, a bit put off by the familiar face, using an unfamiliar accent and way of speaking.

Susan rolled her eyes. “Yes, you. I’m Susan, this is the Doctor.” Bow Tie Man gave a hearty wave. “Now, so we’re not here all night, where are you from?”

“Um…” Will glanced around, looking to make sure no one was looking in their direction. “1985.”

“1985!” The Doctor repeated, beaming. “Love that year. Back to the Future’s debut… We should go to the premiere, shouldn’t we Susan?”

“How about we deal with him first?” Susan asked, jerking her thumb in Will’s direction.

The Doctor glanced over at him. “Right. Come on.” He gestured for Will to follow. “Time travel without a capsule takes a lot out of someone, I should know. There should be a restaurant or two nearby we can hit up.”

Susan raised an eyebrow, even as Will walked over to join the two. Something about them, both of them, screamed ‘wrong,’ but something else about them told him they were trustworthy, he just couldn’t place his fingers on what.

“Are you sure we should be eating out at a time like this?” Susan questioned.

“Come on, Susan!” The Doctor shot back. “This is- what’s your name?”

“Will.”

“Will’s first time someplace other than his native year.” The Doctor continued.

“First time out of Indiana, actually.” Will muttered.

“Really?” The Doctor glanced over at Will. “This must be a terrible turn of events… Or a really good one. Regardless,” The Doctor turned back to Susan, “New York, for all its faults, is one of the great cultural melting pots on the planet Earth. And for someone from the eighties to experience it in a time period like this? Extraordinary. This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, I’m sure he’d like to savor it. See the sights firsthand. What do you think, Will?”

“Um…” Will shifted on his feet. “There have to be some good Italian places around here, right? I _really_ want Pizza.”

“Will, after the trip you’ve presumably had, we’ll get you a whole pie!” The Doctor threw an arm around the teen’s shoulders, leading him along.

Susan shook her head, but kept up, as the Doctor rambled on, voice fading as they left Central Park behind.

“What’s your poison? Pepperoni? Sausage? Five cheese? I tried to make a fish fingers and custard pizza once, funny story about that…”


	3. Touched by an Angel, Part Three

“I feel like everybody’s looking at me.” Will remarked, shifting uncomfortably as he looked around the inside of the somewhat fancy restaurant. “It’s the pajamas, isn’t it?”

“Don’t worry, Will.” Susan replied. “We’ve gotten a few strange looks because of how we dress.”

“I’m surprised they even let us in here.” Will stated, “I thought we would’ve been laughed away for sure.”

“Rule number five-hundred-seventy-two:” The Doctor replied, looking at a menu. “Just act like you belong, and everyone will assume you do. Easy peasy way to get into restaurants. Especially if you don’t carry money.”

Will’s eyes quickly darted about. “You don’t have money?” He whispered to the Doctor, wondering just what sort of mess he’d gotten himself into now.

“Relax,” Susan replied, “We don’t dine-and-dash.”

“We sample the local foods, leave an IOU, and then make a strategic retreat.”

“Oh my God…” Will looked down, “This is a dine-and-dash.”

“Shh!” The Doctor hushed the Byers boy. “Do you want us to be thrown out?”

Will crossed his arms defensively. “If it means we don’t have to steal.”

The Doctor rolled his eyes, closing his menu, sitting it back on the table as he looked at Will. “This isn’t stealing. We eat, leave, and then come back just a few minutes before we left, leaving what we owe before anyone notices we’re gone, savvy?”

Will blinked. “What?”

“Time travel.” Susan told him. “A future version of him,” She gestured to the Doctor, “Is going to come back before we leave, and cover the bill for us.”

“Are you folks ready to order?” The waitress came around. “Oh, I should mention, a very nice gentleman has decided to pay for your meal in full, whatever you’d like.”

The Doctor turned to Will with a smug grin. “Well, that was awfully nice of him, wasn’t it?”

****

“So…” Will began, eating his fifth slice of pepperoni/chicken pizza. He normally didn’t eat so much, but whatever had happened left him hungry enough to eat the entire pizza pie. “Time travel… It’s real?”

“Yep.” The Doctor replied. “I would’ve figured you knew that much, given you were in the eighties, and are now slap-bang in the middle of the Great Depression.”

“I’m just…” Will leaned on the table. “Having a hard time, wrapping my head around it. I mean, I have friends from the ‘future,’ but I always thought they were just from a universe ever-so-slightly ahead from ours.”

Susan blinked. “That’s… not a bad guess, actually. But no, they’re from the future, your future, and time travel back and forth is not only possible, but it happens all the time.”

“So, if time travel happens all the time, is this like a normal thing?” Will questioned. “Me ending up here?”

The Doctor licked his lips, leaning back, as he wiped away a bit of cheese calzone monstrosity from the corner of his mouth. “Well, yes and no. Time travel on minute scales is happening all the time. Sometimes you check a clock, and it’s gone back a couple of minutes before you checked it. Time slips, spatial displacement, more than a few unsolved disappearances. Some people just… fall out of time.”

“And that’s what happened to me?” Will inquired, taking in the Doctor’s words like he was weaving an epic story.

“No,” The Doctor shook his head, “What got you-I’m very confidently assuming because I’m a very clever man and that’s not bragging it’s an objective fact-was called a Weeping Angel.”

“Weeping Angel…” Will repeated, eyebrows knit together in deep thought.

“They’re called the Lonely Assassins, in some cultures.” Susan leaned to look at Will, the teenager focusing on her intently. “Old as the universe itself… some say, even older.”

The Doctor nodded. “And they’ve lived for as long as they have because they have one of the most perfect survival skills ever evolved. They’re quantum-locked.”

Will raised an eyebrow.

“They don’t exist when they’re being observed.” The Doctor explained. “Living creatures, mirrors, cameras, in the viewpoint of anything that captures their image, they freeze into rock.”

Will took in a breath. “There was a statue in my back yard. But if it got me… It’s going to get mom, and Jonathan!”

“Don’t worry, Will.” Susan placed a steadying hand on his wrist. “A Weeping Angel’s touch sends its victims back to the same place. If the angel that got you got them, they would’ve shown up with you.”

“But they didn’t…” Will let a slightly relieved breath out, though still visibly stiff and uncomfortable by the mere idea of the creature being near his home. “But it’s still there, in Hawkins, on the loose.”

“It is.” The Doctor conceded. “But the Weeping Angels feed off time energy. It dropped you down here, hoping to feed off the energy created by you being here, but once Susan and I drop you back home, it’ll starve to death. It’ll become just another statue, harmless.”

“But that means we need to get you back,” Susan picked up from the Doctor, “Soon.”

“So then why’d we take a stop-off at a restaurant?” Will asked, inhaling down another slice, as he finally, finally began to feel some semblance of fullness in his stomach.

“Time traveling without a capsule takes a lot out of you.” The Doctor answered, “Time traveling again, even in a capsule, without getting yourself back up to full strength, would kill you.”

“Oh… guess it’s a good thing we came here, then.”

“Yep.” The Doctor replied. “Don’t time travel on an empty stomach, it’s not good for you.” Something suddenly dinged, the Time Lord jumping in surprise.

“Hold on,” The Doctor went searching, pulling the Timey Wimey detector out.

“Put that back in your pants!” Susan chastised. “We’re in public!”

“No.” The Doctor replied, fiddling with the scrap-built device.

“What is that?” Will questioned.

“It’s how we found you.” The Doctor answered. “It tracks artron energy spikes.”

Susan took a breath. “Does that mean someone else arrived here?”

The Doctor frowned. “Not necessarily, it also tracks outbound departures from the current time zone, which means there’s a Weeping Angel right here, right now. But I’m confused. The Weeping Angels shouldn’t even _exist_ in this reality.”

Susan raised an eyebrow. “So?”

“So, why was there one in my backyard?” Will picked up from the Doctor. “And why is there one here?”

“…I don’t know, but if I had to guess,” The Doctor continued, “Both were the same angel.” His eyebrows knit together, as he thought. “I have a plan. Susan, you and Will head back to the TARDIS.” He ordered, pushing himself up from the seat. "When you get there, plug this into the console." He passed Susan a small, USB stick like device.

“Where are you going?” Susan asked, shoving the device into her pockets, as the Doctor turned to leave.

“To solve this mess.”


	4. Touched by an Angel, Part Four

“Start spreadin’ the news, I’m leaving today…” The Doctor sung theatrically, spinning his cane, glancing down at the Timey Wimey detector every few seconds. “I want to be a part of it, New York, New York!” He jumped over a puddle, kicking his feet together. “These vagabond shoes are longing to stray. Right through the very heart of it, New York, New York. I want to-!”

“Excuse me!” A man shouted, running over to the Doctor, “Excuse me, sir!”

The Timey Wimey detector practically lit up, as the man approached.

“Hello!” The Doctor greeted, figuring the Time Wimey detector’s spike in activity wasn’t a coincidence.

“Ray Pegorino, talent manager.” The man introduced himself. “You got quite the set of pipes on you, buddy.”

“Do I?” The Doctor rhetorically asked. “Oh, thank you.”

“What’s your name, friend?” Ray asked.

“John Smith.” The Doctor answered.

“Johnny boy,” Ray threw an arm around the Doctor’s shoulder, leading him on, “How’d you like to be made into a world-class act?”

“Really?” The Doctor asked, making a point to widen his eyes and gape his mouth, playing up the part of the fool. The man was involved, the Doctor could practically smell the artron energy clinging to his cells. “What do I have to do?”

“Oh, it’s easy,” Ray replied, “I’d like to show my bosses your act. You just put those pipes of yours to good use, and you’re gonna have a gig practically overnight.”

“Overnight…” The Doctor repeated. “And it pays well?”

“You ain’t gonna have to worry about money ever again, my friend.” Ray stated.

“Then… we have a deal!” The Doctor laughed enthusiastically.

Ray grinned. “Stick with me, buddy. It’s only to the top from here.”

****

Will groaned, as he and Susan stepped off the ferry boat onto Liberty Island.

Susan glanced over at him, watching him stumble slightly, as she led him around to the TARDIS. “Seasick?”

“Yeah…” Will kept back a burp, not knowing if it was going to turn out to be full-blown vomit.

“Don’t worry,” Susan patted him gently on the back, “We have some ginger ale inside.” She led him around the side of Lady Liberty’s base, towards the TARDIS.

“What in there?” Will questioned, pointing to the blue exterior.

“Yes.” Susan answered, rooting through her pockets, pulling out a small golden key.

“It’s so small.” Will remarked. “It’s gonna be a bit… snug.”

“She’s roomier than she looks, trust me.” Susan replied, the lock clicking, the girl pushing the doors open a moment later. “Come on.”

Will frowned skeptically, shaking his head, as he peeked his head inside. “No… No, no!” He denied, scrambling back out.

Susan crossed her arms, laughing to herself as Will dashed around the exterior of the TARDIS.

“I… I… I…” Will stuttered. “It’s just a box!” He peeked his head back inside. “But it’s massive!” He pulled back, running around to the back of the TARDIS, waving his hand in the space between the back and the stone base of Lady Liberty. “How’s that possible!?” He questioned, running back inside, looking around the room in awe. “Oh my God… It’s… It’s…”

Susan smiled, mouthing along with Will as the words left his mouth.

“It’s bigger on the inside.” Will breathed.

“Really?” Susan rhetorically questioned, shutting the door, as she walked over to the control console. “That’s funny, I always thought it was just a trick with mirrors.”

“What is this place?” Will questioned, looking around the console room as he stepped further inside.

“The TARDIS.” Susan answered. “Time And Relative Dimension In Space.”

Will blinked. “That’s reaching a bit on the acronym, isn’t it?”

“Hey!” Susan pointed at him defensively. “I worked on that acronym for a very long time.” She began reaching into her pockets, pulling back out the USB drive the Doctor had passed off to her back at the restaurant. “It may not have been as glamourous as the rest of the jobs on the timeship development project, but it was still important!”

“Timeship…” Will repeated in awe, as he looked up at the domed ceiling. “I’m standing in a real time machine.”

Susan grinned. “Yep!”

“Amazing… So,” Will turned to Susan, “What’s the plan?”

“We do as he said.” Susan stated, plugging the USB into the console.

In response, as the data on the drive was read, the ambient humming of the TARDIS began to grow louder.

“Um…” Will looked around warily. “Is something supposed to happen?”

Susan frowned, eyebrows knitting together. “I don’t know. Maybe-“

In a flash of light, the Doctor suddenly materialized in the console room.

“Ah!” The Doctor groaned as he turned over. “Susan! Will!” He smiled in delight. “Boy, it’s so good to see you two again. Oh… The long way ‘round sucks.” He rubbed an aching spot on his back as he got to his feet.

“Doctor?” Will questioned. “What happened?”

“Emergency Program Sigma Nine.” The Doctor answered. “Any lifeforms inside a room at the time of deletion automatically get plopped down in the main control room.”

Susan’s eyebrows shot up. “But you said you were going off to fix this mess.”

“I did.” The Doctor nodded.

Susan looked on expectantly for something else. “And?”

The Doctor sighed. “Long, long story behind that…”

****

“Here we are, Johnny boy.” Ray pointed as he led the Doctor up to a closed down warehouse. “My bosses’ preferred meeting place.”

The Doctor raised an eyebrow, as the ambient artron energy levels practically skyrocketed, the Doctor feeling the sensation like a sudden cold chill. “Your bosses like to meet in closed-down warehouses.”

“They’re a group of… clandestine individuals.” Ray covered, as he opened the door to allow the Doctor entry. “Don’t like meetin’ prospects out in the usual places in case they’re rats, you know?” He gestured for the Doctor to answer.

“What’s wrong with rats?” The Doctor inquired innocently as he walked inside. “Some of them carry diseases, sure, but they make nice enough pets.”

“Not that kind of rat.” Ray returned, as he shut the door, engaging the locks.

“Ooh, very secret.” The Doctor chuckled. “What’s this place, a secret clubhouse?” His eyes flickered over to the angel statue in the center of the room, and he had to fight back a burst of fury at the mere sight of it. “And what’s that? Art project?”

“You could say that.” Ray shrugged noncommittally.

“Ah.” The Doctor blinked, knowing full well what the action would produce, as the angel suddenly shot forward a few steps, but not enough to fully close the distance.

“Ah!” The Doctor recoiled back, feigning surprise. “Did it just move!?”

“It did.” Ray confirmed.

“How did it move!?” The Doctor demanded, keeping unblinking eyes on the angel, playing up the panic. “ _Why_ did it just move!?”

Ray crossed his arms. “It likes to play with its food.”

The Doctor huffed to himself. That was always true, the Weeping Angels were quite probably some of the most sadistic predators in the universe. They knew they were going to get you in the end anyway, so why not have fun with it?

Then again, that was a big mistake. Because, sometimes, the Doctor liked to have fun too.

“That’s fortunate,” The Doctor reached into his pockets, pulling out a pair of mirrored shades he had on him. He always kept a pair prepared, ever since his last visit to New York. “Because so do I.” He stated, throwing them on, looking directly at the angel. “Do you think I’m stupid?”

“Excuse me?” Ray spluttered.

“You lead me into a room with a Weeping Angel, and expect me to fall victim to it just like that?” The Doctor rhetorically asked. “Come on, Ray. How many have you lured to it before me?”

“You’re not in a position to-“

“I am facing a creature who’s kind stole two of my best friends from me, in the very same city where it happened, _don’t-“_ The Doctor bellowed. “Patronize me!” He let out an angered breath. “Or I think you’ll find I’m far more dangerous than that statue in the center of the room.

“I-“ Ray stuttered, now that the angel was paralyzed, and his jig was up. “No one else, I assure you.”

The Doctor’s eyes narrowed behind his shades, as he deftly maneuvered to put Ray between himself and the angel. “I think you and I both realize that’s not true.”

“O-Okay! You’re the fourth or the fifth, but no one else!”

“And what did it promise you?” The Doctor demanded, fury leaking through the mask of projected tranquility. “Money? Power?”

“The stars!” Ray answered. “It showed me the stars and promised it could take me to them.”

“You lured those people here because you wanted to get away!?” The Doctor brimmed with fury.

“It’s been hell down here!” Ray retorted. “The entire world’s going to shit! At least, this way, I can survive… And I only offered it the people who weren’t important, the ones that wouldn’t be missed!”

That statement alone almost sent the Doctor flying into a rage. “No one,” He poked Ray in the chest, “No matter how insignificant they may seem, is unimportant. And there will _always_ be those who miss them.”

Ray scoffed. “A nice sentiment, Johnny boy, but dead wrong. Now,” He suddenly drew a pistol, pointing it at the Doctor. “You’re going to take those shades off, and blink.”

“Hm… No.” The Doctor crossed his arms.

“What?”

“I said no.” The Doctor repeated.

“I’ll kill you if you don’t!”

“So what!?” The Doctor roared. “Having a gun doesn’t mean jack squat when someone isn’t afraid of them!”

“I’ll give you until the count of three. One!”

“You know, Ray, for someone who’s been working for a Weeping Angel for so long, I don’t think you really understand how they work.”

“Two!”

“See, they can choose their victims, but if they’re hungry enough, they just go for the first person they see. For instance, if someone were to, say… keep stalling long enough then, I don’t know, the angel would go straight for the person in front of them, instead of their original target.”

“Three!”

“In other words, Ray,” The Doctor pulled his shades off, allowing the man to momentarily think he’d won. “Be very, _very_ careful what you wish for.”

Ray paled, as he realized just who’s back was towards the angel, and he could barely get a word out before the Doctor blinked, and the man vanished.

The Doctor sighed, putting the shades back on, as he looked at the angel. “Now, as for you… I can’t get rid of you.” Not if he was going to keep the timeline intact. The angel had to find Will in 1985, and send him back, otherwise, the whole set of events would never have happened. “But I can’t let you go, either.” The Doctor told the angel.

But, as always, he had a plan.

****

The Doctor lived his way through the Great Depression, World War Two, the Vietnam War, all of it, keeping watch over the lone Weeping Angel.

It was difficult at first, of course. He didn’t keep any money on him, he couldn’t access his UNIT accounts even if they had existed in the reality he’d found himself in, and unless he wanted to introduce some severe potential for things to go supremely wrong, he couldn’t make a note to himself in the future to pay for it.

So, that’s what he was stuck doing. Living in a run-down warehouse through much of the twentieth century, keeping the Weeping Angel locked in a circle of mirrors.

Eventually, he came around to the nineteen eighties, and moved himself and the angel out to Hawkins, watching, waiting.

It took everything the Doctor had within himself not to intervene when the Demogorgon showed up, or the attempted invasion the next Halloween, but eventually, he came around to the summer of nineteen eighty-five. Specifically, June.

See, while Will had been sent back in August, the Doctor was aiming for when he, Susan, and River had crash landed near the cabin just outside town. ( _TARDIS Index Files Note: Worlds’ Finest_ )

Thus the Doctor, near the Byers household but away from any prying eyes, set up a timer set for the general time when he estimated Will to have been taken from, and rigged the glass keeping the angel frozen to be broken when it went off.

Then, while his past self, the last incarnation of Susan, and River before she vanished into the Timeless Realm, the Doctor snuck into their TARDIS, sequestering himself away in a storage room, until Susan, his Susan, had returned to the TARDIS, and plugged in the drive he’d given her. The protocol on the drive would engage, erase the room, dropping him out in the console room at a safe time.

All according to plan.

****

Will and Susan blinked.

“That… seems like a whole lot of trouble to go to just to keep watch over a statue.” Will commented.

“Not a statue!” The Doctor insisted. “Weeping Angel. There’s a difference.” He huffed, going to set the controls.

“But, really?” Susan questioned. “Why come back aboard the TARDIS at all?’

“Well…” The Doctor shifted defensively. “I was making most of it up along the way. Right, everyone, hold on.” He advised, setting the ship into motion.

Susan rubbed her forehead frustratedly. “You were just doing it to feel smart, weren’t you?”

“No!” The Doctor denied. “Besides, I’d already done it so I had to do it!”

Will blinked. “What?”

“The note, Susan.” He directed to her. “Where did the note come from? And why did it end up with your watch in one of the engine compartments?”

Susan blinked, before her face twisted in exasperation, and she groaned. “Don’t tell me.”

Will looked between the Doctor and Susan. “I don’t understand, what’s going on?”

The Doctor inhaled, smiling excitedly, as he finally got the chance to explain something after waiting ninety years with no other contact. “It’s called, the Bootstrap Paradox!” He energetically darted up the stairs to the next level, despite his reliance on the cane, pulling a whiteboard around. He set his record from before to begin playing, as he wrote down on the board with a dry erase marker.

“You have whiteboards in here?” Will asked Susan.

“It’s for when he gets ideas.” Susan explained. “He used to have a chalkboard, but… that ended badly.”

“You two, eyes front!” The Doctor ordered. “So! Susan, you and I found the note in the compartment under the console, correct?” He drew a picture of the inciting event. “That note just so happened to have spatio-temporal coordinates leading directly to New York, where it just so happened Will had just been sent back in time.” He drew a cartoonish figure of the bowl-cut boy, and a stick figure of the angel. “But, the only reason we found that note was because we were looking for your watch. The watch that I hid,” He drew himself sneaking around to hide the watch, “because I remembered you and I looking for it in the past, and so I left that note with the coordinates so we would find it.” The Doctor drew a monstrous tapestry of red ink lines across the board, connecting the pictures he’d drawn with arrows pointing off wildly, showing the non-linear progression of events up to that point. “We only knew to come to New York because I left those notes, Will only got sent back because I knew that was where the angel had grabbed him before, and I only stayed behind to deal with the angel because I started seeing the patterns of things I’d done before. Savvy?”

Will grasped his forehead. “I think I’m getting a headache.”

“Wait, it gets better!” The Doctor pointed. “If I only got the ideas to do these things because I’d seen them before, where’d those ideas come from to begin with?”

Will blinked. “Okay I’ll bite. Where?”

The Doctor shrugged noncommittally, tossing the marker off to the side. “Doesn’t matter. The thing about time travel is, these things happen way more often than you’d think. Fezzes in the National Gallery, candy wrappers on the street, whatever. Ah…” The Doctor smiled fondly. “You lot. So tripped up by, for time travelers, what amounts to a cheap parlor trick.”

The TARDIS engines scraped, as the ship settled.

“Right-o, Willy boy!” The Doctor said, stepping down the stairs, moving over to the door. “Let’s deal with that angel.”

“How do we do that?” Will asked.

“Just step outside.” Susan answered. “You’ll be reintegrated into the timeline, and then, the angel should just starve.”

“Right…” Will nodded slowly, looking to the door apprehensively.

“…Want one of us to come with you?” The Doctor asked.

Will nodded, much faster this time.

“Stay here, Susan.” The Doctor instructed. “It’ll be just a second.”

The Doctor took the lead, opening the door, stepping out into the Byers’s back yard.

“Where is it?” Will asked, still not having exited the ship.

“Right there.” The Doctor pointed to the kitchen window, allowing Will to get a look. “Don’t worry, I’ve got my eye on it.”

Will nodded and stepped out. In what felt like the moment his foot hit the ground, the angel statue suddenly cracked, and began fading away, like a bad effect.

“What happened?” Will asked, looking on in amazed befuddlement at the spot the angel used to occupy.

“It was starved.” The Doctor answered. “You were the first person it had targeted in a long, long time. When we put you back…” The Time Lord shrugged. “It finally starved to death.”

“So… that’s it then?” Will asked. “It’s over.”

“It’s over.” The Doctor confirmed. “Not like there was much going on, just a single angel, but yes. We did it.”

Will huffed. “More like you did.” He suddenly yawned. “I should go back inside. I’ve got school in the morning.”

“Right, pursuing that education.” The Doctor stated. “In that case, we’ll just be off.” The Doctor said, not even saying goodbye as he stepped into the TARDIS.

Will watched as the engines engaged with a thud, the outside of the ship glowing a faint blue, as the light on top began to pulse, the TARDIS beginning to fade, as a gentle gust of wind was kicked up. Suddenly, however, the engines reversed, and the TARDIS began to solidify, stopping with a thud.

“You know, I’ve been thinking,” The Doctor peeked his head back out, “You’re a good kid, probably a real explorer type, but being zapped involuntarily back to Depression-era New York really isn’t the best way to travel. So, I just thought…”

“Yeah?” Will questioned.

“Well, I thought…” The Doctor cleared his throat. “You would maybe, like to… come with us?”

“…With you?” Will repeated. “Where?”

“Anywhere!” The Doctor stated heartily. “The TARDIS isn’t Earth exclusive, you know. Any planet in the universe, any point in that planet’s history.”

Will looked on for a moment, indecisive. “I mean, won’t I be missed?”

“It’s a time machine.” Susan peeked her head oud next to the Doctor. “You could stay with us for as long as you’d like, and we could have you back fifteen minutes ago.”

“I don’t know…” Will balked.

“Come on, Will.” Susan smiled welcomingly. “Anywhere, anywhen… It’ll be the trip of a lifetime. I promise.”

Will’s eyes flickered back to his house, as Susan’s words, and the words of what he presumed to be the future version of her he’d seen in the woods, echoed in his mind. School was an everyday opportunity, but this…

They were right. This was a once-in-a-lifetime offer.

Will grinned, and he ran back towards the TARDIS, the others moving out of the way to allow him in.

The doors slammed shut, and the TARDIS began to disappear from Hawkins, an extra passenger in tow.


	5. Interlude: Welcome Aboard

Will looked around the control room of the TARDIS excitedly, the column in the center of the room rising and falling with a steady scraping noise.

“So!” The Doctor clapped his hands. “Where to first? The Candle Meadows of Karass Don Slava? The Rock Candy Cliffs of Confectius? How about Rannoch, in the Seventh Age of Reconstruction?”

Will continued smiling excitedly, before he suddenly found a yawn ripping through him.

“I think the only place Will’s going to up to visiting now is dreamland.” Susan stated, placing a hand on the boy’s shoulder. “And, honestly? Me too.”

“Come on, you guys!” The Doctor stamped his feet like a petulant child. “He just came on board, there’ll be time for sleeping later!”

“Do you _want_ him to be stumbling around like a zombie?”

The Doctor huffed, admonished. “No…”

“Then that’s it then.” Susan stated, she turned to Will. “Come on, I’ll show you to your room.” She guided him down the stairs, into the hallways.

“Hey, while you’re at it,” The Doctor called before the two vanished out of sight, “Why not give him the guided tour!? Show him all the places that I keep off-limits why don’t you!?” He sighed, turning to the console. “Women.”

That earned him a zap courtesy of the TARDIS.

****

So, even with Susan knowing the destination in mind, it took the two about five straight minutes of walking to reach the door.

“Here we are,” Susan said, stepping aside to allow Will access. “Your room.”

Will raised his eyebrows, even as the doors slid open to allow him inside. His room aboard the TARDIS was very spartan, little in the way in furniture and décor aside from a bed, a dresser, and a desk and chair.

“You guys already put aside a room for me?” Will questioned, as he walked further inside. The walls were the same light grey metal as the rest of the TARDIS, but the floor was carpeted with a nice, plush velvety material that made Will feel like he was walking on a cloud. “How’d you know I was going to come along?”

“We didn’t.” Susan said. “But generating new rooms on the fly is one of the TARDIS’s many talents.”

Will slowly nodded, looking around.

“So, um…” Susan awkwardly clapped her hands, “I guess I’ll leave you to it, then.”

“Right.” Will turned back to her. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Susan smiled. “And, I know he was being sarcastic, but in the morning, how about I give you the guided tour.”

“I’d like that.” Will smiled in return, before yawning once more.

“Well then, goodnight Will.” Susan wished, before stepping out.

The door slid closed behind her, and Will let out a breath, looking at his room. It was separated into two levels, the bottom one, the one he was standing on now, had the desk, chair, and dresser. Up a small set of stairs, onto a raised platform only a couple of feet off the ground, sat the bed, with another door off to the side. Will slowly walked up, peeking his head through the next door. It was a very nice, pearly-white tiled bathroom, with a jacuzzi-sized bathtub/shower, a toilet that looked like it cost more than his house did, and a marble sink.

Will stepped back from the bathroom, a bit put off by just how expensive everything looked, as he walked over to the bed. He sat down on it, sighing comfortably as he sunk down into it slightly. He didn’t know precisely what kind of material it was, but as he sunk down into it, it molded to fit every curve of his body.

“Um…” His eyes sprung back open, as he looked around. There were no lightswitches on the walls, despite there being a light overhead. “How do I turn off the lights?” He wondered aloud.

In response to his question, the lights immediately dimmed.

“Thanks?” Will offered in confusion. “Whoever did that.”

A gust of warm air, like laughter, wrapped around Will, as he fell back down. The moment his head hit the pillow, he drifted away, deep into the best sleep he’d had since… Halloween of ’84.

Distantly, addled by his quick descent into dreamland, he wondered what his mom and Jonathan were dreaming about.

****

Hopper let out a frustrated breath, as his fingers pounded the keys of the typewriter in his office, filing out a missing person’s report for Will.

“Look… Boy his age,” Hopper began, looking at Joyce, her face haloed by the golden light of the morning sun. “He’s probably playing hooky.”

“No.” Joyce insisted, taking an anxious drag off her cigarette. “Not Will. “

Hopper rubbed his face, as he typed up the next section. “Have you gotten you-know-who to look for him?”

“Yes!”

“And?”

Joyce let out a shaky sigh, sitting down. “She can’t find him.” Anxious tears began to fall from her eyes. “What if… what if something happened, Hop? What if he’s hurt, or…”

“Hey.” Hopper leaned forward. “He’s not dead.”

Joyce jittered nervously. “How can you be sure? What if that… _thing’s_ back! What if it went after him again?”

“Joyce,” Hopper addressed, “I need you to try and relax.”

“Relax!?” Joyce repeated. “How can I relax when El can’t even track him down!? How can you relax!?”

Hopper let out another, exasperated sigh. “Look, when…” He glanced out of his office, lowering his voice. “When El tried to find Barbara Holland, you remember that?” At Joyce’s nod, he continued. “She was already dead… But El still found her. Will’s fine, I’m sure of it.” Hopper stated with conviction, even as he continued typing out the report.

Joyce rubbed her forehead, looking like she was fighting back a headache. “This was supposed to be his first day of high school.”

“Well, there you go.” Hopper practically threw his hands out. “He probably got scared and made a run for it.”

“Maybe…” Joyce sighed. “He was a bit… reluctant about starting. Will was worried it was just going to be middle school with the bullies and the cliques all over again. Damnit, I should’ve listened to him.”

“Hey, don’t beat yourself up over it.” Hopper told her. “We’ll find him, I promise.” He leaned back in his chair. “…When was the last time you heard from Lonnie?”

“Lonnie!?” Joyce questioned.

“Yes, Lonnie.” Hopper calmly replied.

Joyce took a puff off her cigarette. “Last I heard… He moved out to Indianapolis. That was… ’82. But what does he have to do with this!?”

Hopper nodded slowly, preparing to write something down on his notepad. “Why don’t you give me his number?”

“Hopper, he has nothing to do with this, trust me.” Joyce insisted.

“Look,” Hopper began, “Ninety-nine percent of the time, kid goes missing, they’re with a parent or relative.”

Joyce stammered. “What about the one?”

“Excuse me?”

“What about the one percent of the time, Hopper!?” Joyce demanded.

Hopper drew his lips into a line. “You’re stressing yourself out, Joyce.”

“Am I!?” Joyce shot back. “Over the past… two years, I’ve had to deal with monsters from the pits of Hell going after my family! So don’t bring up the ‘ninety-nine percent’ bullcrap, and then call _me_ paranoid! Look, just… Find him, Hop. Please… find him.”


	6. The Rings of Akhaten, Part One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hm... Haven't we been here before?

The Doctor smiled eagerly as he ran around the control console of the TARDIS, throwing the switches, pressing the assorted buttons to guide the ship.

“So, Will,” The Time Lord directed to the teenager as he came striding in, wearing a simple combo of jeans, tennis shoes, and a white T-shirt evidently taken to the wardrobe. “Where to first?”

Will double-took. “What, me? I get to pick?”

“You’re the guest.” Susan stated from the upper level, leaning on the railing. “Anywhere you’ve ever wanted to go. You get first choice.”

“Right, no pressure…” Will muttered to himself, blanking. “Uh… You know how sometimes, someone asks you to name your favorite food, and then you’ve forgotten every single thing you’ve ever eaten except for your last meal?”

“No.” The Doctor responded, still smiling.

“Well, it’s a thing that happens.” Will blinked. “I don’t know. How about… someplace amazing?”

“Amazing.” The Doctor’s grin became almost mad, and certainly infectious. “I can do amazing. Hold on!” He advised, throwing the final switch, before the ship set off into motion.

“Is it always this bumpy?” Will asked, clutching onto a railing for dear life as the TARDIS rocked like a jalopy rolling down a gravel hill.

“Yep!” The Doctor replied.

“Is this even safe!?” Will questioned.

“Safe!?” Susan repeated, looking over to him. “Safe’s boring, we hate safe!”

“Don’t worry, Will!” The Doctor directed to him. “Stick with us, and we’ll break those bad habits of yours!” He pulled back the lever, and the TARDIS immediately settled, the engines grinding to a stop. “Here we are.” He began lowly, trying to puff up the moment.

“Outside those doors…” Susan gestured to the exit. “Brand new world.”

Will looked to the doors both apprehensively, and excitedly. “What’s out there?”

The Doctor glanced over to Susan. “You’d like to do the honors?”

Susan smiled. “I’d love to. Close your eyes.” She advised Will placing her hands on his shoulders, as the Doctor opened the door.

“Ready?” The Doctor asked.

Will, eyes still covered, nodded.

Susan led Will out of the TARDIS first.

“You feel that?” Susan asked him, as the Doctor closed the door behind them. “That heat of the extraterrestrial air brushing your skin, the sunlight from an alien star hitting your eyelids, the scents of another world tickling your nose…”

“Yeah…” Will replied, as he kept his eyes closed, Susan leading him forward gently.

“It’s amazing, isn’t it?” Susan rhetorically asked. “It’s why he and I keep traveling. But, it’s about to get a whole lot better. Are you ready?”

“…Yeah.”

“Open your eyes.” Susan softly commanded, Will’s eyes slowly creaking open in response.

In an instant, Will’s draw dropped at the sight before him. A could of blue, red, and green space dust floated freely out in space, as asteroids orbited around a massive red-orange star.

“Will Byers…” The Doctor began theatrically, like an announcer, “Welcome, to the Rings of Akhaten.”

“Where…?” Will breathed.

“The center of the universe.” The Doctor answered. “Well, as close to the center of the universe as you can get before Terminus Inc buys it out.”

“What is this place?” Will asked, looking into the distance as another asteroid, with some kind of pyramid built into it, drifted by. “What is that?”

“The Pyramid of the Rings of Akhaten.” The Doctor explained. “It's a holy site for the Sun Singers of Akhat.”

Will blinked. “The who of what?”

“Come on,” Susan grabbed gently onto one of Will’s hands smiling kindly, as the Doctor walked over to a door nearby, opening it. “We’ll show you.”

Instantly, Will found himself being led out into a crowded street, with what looked like market stalls dispersed around the area, as creatures of every size, build, color, and texture went about the place. Some looked like animals had decided to walk on two legs, others looked like giant insects. A couple of them looked human enough, slightly alien enough in their facial structure to be off-putting.

The whole place was one, massive, alien bazaar.

“These are aliens.” Will breathed, slightly amazed, slightly terrified. The only other aliens he had seen, after all, were trying to kill him, his friends, and take over Earth. “Real, live aliens.”

“As opposed to fake, dead ones?” Susan teased in response.

“Oh…” Will spluttered. “You know that’s not what I meant.”

Susan laughed. “Yeah, yeah, I know.”

“So…” Will looked around in amazement. “What are these guys?”

“Oh, local residents, mostly.” The Doctor answered as he led Susan and Will through the bazaar. “There go some Panbabylonians. A Lugal-Irra-Kush. Some Lucanians. A Hooloovoo. Ah! Qom VoTivig.! Haven’t seen one of them in ages!” He reflected fondly, walking up to the alien, barking something in its native tongue, as they entered an exchange that concluded with the Doctor and the alien pounding their chests together. “There are seven worlds in this star system, all of them sharing the belief that all life in the universe started with that star.” The Doctor continued at Will, moving on. 

Will looked to the Doctor inquisitively, as the Time Lord led them through the bazaar. “Did it?”

The Doctor shrugged noncommittally. “It’s a nice story. Oh! A Turian!” He pointed to a bird-like biped running one of the stalls. “He’s a long way from home.” He looked around with a smile. “I forgot how much I liked it here, we should stop by more often.”

“You’ve been here before?” Will asked.

“Once.” The Doctor answered. “A long, long time ago. With my granddaughter.”

“Granddaughter?” Will repeated, disbelieving.

“Yes, yes, yes.” The Doctor waved away, something in the distance catching his eye. “Ooh!” He dashed off in the direction of one of the stalls.

Susan shook her head, but motioned for Will to keep up, as she pursued the Doctor.

“Jarrin Root!” The Doctor held up a plant that looked like a three-pronged carrot, tinted a copper-brown color. He broke off a section, offering it to Will.

Will looked down at the plant apprehensively, before an encouraging nod from Susan, who was holding her own bit of the plant, pushed him into taking a bite.

Will’s eyes widened in surprise, as he found it tasted a bit like an orange, with cream soda mixed in.

An alien jumped out at them, barking something, and Will quickly recoiled. “Ah!” Will jumped. “What’s wrong, why is it angry?”

“She, not it.” The Doctor told him. “And she’s just angry that we didn’t pay first. Here you go, love,” He directed to the alien shopkeeper, reaching into his pockets, handing her a yo-yo.

“Did you just pay with a yo-yo?” Will questioned.

“Yep!” The Doctor answered. “Part of the local culture. See, they take payment here in articles of sentimental value. The more sentimental, the more valuable.”

Will frowned. “Why would they do that?”

The Doctor shrugged. “Tradition, I suppose.”

Will nodded slowly, looking over the asteroid bazaar. “So, why are all these people here?”

“For, the Festival of Offerings.” The Doctor answered, fumbling as he bumped into someone, nearly dropping his root.

“There’s this story,” Susan picked up from the Doctor, “That says Akhaten, the star, is a god. That’s what the name translates to, ‘the Dreaming God.’ Anyway, the people here believe that the universe is just one massive dream Akhaten is having, so every thousand years when the rings line up, they have this festival, offering things to keep it asleep.”

“Ooh, sherbet!” The Doctor looked to a stall on the right, “Bet that’s going to go great with this…” He walked over to the stall, fumbling in his pockets, Susan following.

As Will stood in the crowd, looking around, a young girl, no more than about ten or eleven, came running out of the crowd, looking scared. She bumped into Will, breathing fearfully.

“Hey, are you okay?” Will bent down slightly to address her, before the girl suddenly ran off.

Two aliens, dressed in full-leather suits, wearing gas masks that looked rather like skulls, came marching around the corner.

“Have you seen her?” The one on the left demanded, with a deep, raspy voice modulated by his mask.

Will recoiled slightly, taken aback. “Seen who?”

“The Queen of Years.” The one on the right responded.

“Um…” Will blinked.

In response to that, the two goons turned on their heels, and split up, walking off in two different directions.

Will looked in the direction of where the girl had run, back to the Doctor and Susan still at the stall, and in the direction of the two goons. He was a stranger, in a strange land, but there was a little girl, that looked just like a human, who looked terrified out of her mind, and two thugs chasing after her.

He had to help.


	7. The Rings of Akhaten, Part Two

Will dashed through the crowds of the bazaar, trying to keep up with the little girl, as he finally came to the storeroom he’d seen her ducking inside.

“Hello?” Will called out as he slowly entered, trying not to scare her.

Something on the other end of the room banged, Will’s head shooting over, as he saw the girl trying to hide behind a stack of barrels.

“Hey.” Will quietly said, approaching slowly. “Are you okay? What’s wrong?” The girl looked at him fearfully, trying to back away. “I’m not gonna hurt you. Are you alright? What’s happening?”

The girl looked Will up and down suspiciously. “Hiding.”

“Oh.” Will stated, slightly chided. He supposed it was obvious enough. “Any reason why?”

The little alien girl’s eyes narrowed. “You don’t know who I am?”

Will shook his head. “Can’t say that I do.”

“So why did you follow me?” The little girl prodded.

“I thought you needed help.” Will answered.

“I don’t believe you.” She stated frankly.

“I've got no idea who you are.” Will replied. “I've never been here before. All I saw, was a scared little girl, who looked like she needed help.”

The girl tilted her head slowly, like a cat being slow to trust. “Really?”

Will nodded. “Really.”

The little girl glanced down. “Can you help me?”

“I wouldn’t have chased you down and talked to you if I wasn’t.” Will replied.

The little girl nodded slowly. Suddenly, three of the thugs from earlier began to materialize in plumes of smoke, the little girl whipping around to face them in fearful surprise.

 _“Merry,”_ A whispering voice called, _“Where are you, Merry?”_

“Come on!” Will guided. “I know where we can hide!” Will took off, the little girl following him, as he ran back out into the bazaar. It took him a moment to gather his bearings, but he recalled the way back to the TARDIS, and walked back towards the blue box, keeping a careful watch on the little girl, and the brutish thugs that were trying to follow her.

“Here it is.” Will said.

The little girl tilted her head. “What is it?”

“It’s a… ship.” Will replied. “Space ship.”

The girl frowned. “It’s teeny.”

“Just wait.” Will said, going to push the doors open. He frowned, giving them another experimental tug, and he frowned. “Oh… I don’t have a key.” He realized, looking at the bronze lock carved into the wood.

The girl took a breath, and began walking around the side of the TARDIS.

“Hey, little girl?”

“My name’s Merry.” She replied, sitting down in the gap between the back of the TARDIS, and a wall of a nearby building.

Will drew his lips into a line, shooting a look at the TARDIS, which, somehow, he could’ve sworn was _watching_ him, as he walked around to join Merry.

“My name’s Will.” He introduced himself in response, sitting down next to her. “So, what’s happening? Are those people trying to hurt you?”

Merry shook her head. “No. I’m just scared.”

Will frowned, tilting his head. “Of what?”

“Getting it wrong.” Merry answered, like she thought Will would know what she meant.

“Okay…” Will blinked. “Could you pretend for a second like I’m a total alien with no idea what’s going on?”

“I’m Merry Gejelh.”

“…Really alien.”

Merry bit her lower lip. “The Queen of Years? They chose me when I was a baby, the day the last Queen of Years died.”

Will nodded. “Okay.” He gestured for Merry to continue.

“I'm the vessel of our history. I know every chronicle, every poem, every legend, every song.” The little girl explained.

“Every single one?” Will winced. “History wasn’t one of my strongest subjects, either.”

Merry nodded. “And now I have to sing a song in front of everyone. A special song. I have to sing it to a god. And I'm really scared.”

“Scared…” Will repeated. “I understand. Public speaking isn’t one of my strong suits, either. There was this one time, for school, I had to give a presentation about this one really famous guy who lived a while ago, and I was scared out of my mind, because it was the first time I ever stood up in a room full of people, and they were all going to be looking at me. I was so scared that I was going to get something wrong, or mess up, and they would all laugh at me…”

Merry tilted her head. “What happened?”

“Well,” Will leaned back against the TARDIS, “I got up to the front of the room, and I saw them all looking at me. I was about to ask if I could skip out on my speech, but then I saw my friends, sitting down, looking at me, and I knew that they had my back, no matter if I messed up. That’s what’s important.” He looked back over to her. “For all the people who will laugh at you, there’s going to be those ready to have your back.”

“And you were never scared again?” Merry asked, listening to Will intently.

“Oh, I was scared lots of times,” Will replied, “But not of speaking in public. There’s things out there that are a lot more scary than people laughing. What are you scared _of_ , exactly?”

Merry looked down. “Getting it wrong. Making Grandfather angry.”

Will looked Merry up and down. “You know what? It doesn’t matter what other people think of you. There are people out there who’ll belittle you and call you names, no matter what you do, there’s no changing their minds. But what you _can_ do, is go out there, and prove them wrong. You’re going to kill that song, not because I believe it, or anyone else does, but because _you_ do.”

Merry beamed, wrapping her arms thankfully around Will. She stood up first, allowing Will to lead her back into the bazaar, towards one of the leather-dressed thugs, waiting and surveying the area patiently. The masked alien looked down at Merry, producing what looked like a kind of ceremonial lei, placing it gently around her neck, leading her safely through the crowds.

Before Merry vanished out of sight, she turned around, offering Will a thankful wave, which he returned.

“What have you been doing?” Susan questioned, appearing suddenly beside Will, taking a giant snap out of her Jarrin Root.

Will jumped slightly in surprise. His breaths died down a moment later. “Exploring.” He answered, looking over to her. “Where are we going now?”

Susan grinned. “Oh, you’re going to like this.”

****

Susan led Will into an amphitheater, filled with many of the same alien beings he’d seen going about the bazaar, looking expectantly on at a pedestal in the center, as Merry was led out to it.

“Yes, sorry, excuse us,” Susan whispered to the other audience members, as she led Will towards two empty seats, the Doctor sitting at the end of them. “Pardon us, make way, make way.”

“Finally.” The Doctor muttered, leaning on his cane. “Where’d you find him?”

“In the bazaar.” Susan answered, sitting down next to the Doctor.

“Um…” Will looked around at the people, bowing their heads reverently, almost like it was a church service. “Are we supposed to be in here?”

“Shush!” The Doctor hissed quietly.

Merry, at her pedestal, turned around, looking in the direction of the commotion, locking eyes with Will.

He nodded encouragingly with a smile, and she turned back around, taking a deep breath. The room fell silent, and after a moment, Merry’s voice began to fill the amphitheater.

“Akhaten…” Merry sung, the biker thugs behind her chorusing her. “Oh god of Akhaten…”

“They’re singing to the mummy out in the pyramid.” The Doctor explained. “They believe it to be one of Akhaten’s facets, the Old God. Sometimes Grandfather.”

“Oh god of Akhaten…” The singing continued, swelling louder.

“Why are they singing?” Will asked.

“The main attraction, the Long Song.” The Doctor answered. “If the bazaar offers things to keep Akhaten comfortable while he sleeps, then the Long Song is his lullaby. It’s been going from Choruster to Choruster for generations, never stopping, never faltering.”

The aliens in the amphitheater all began to slowly hold out their hands in offering, objects held within their palms.

“What are they doing?” Will probed.

“Those are their offerings to him.” Susan explained. “Gifts that have value to the people presenting them.”

“O god of, O god of, O god of Akhaten…” Merry sung, as the audience began to pick up the song as well.

The Doctor looked sheepishly at the other audience members. “Lay,” He stuttered, trying to sing along, unfamiliar with the words of the song, “Lay down.”

Merry’s voice began to falter, as she reached a high point of the song.

Then, the entire asteroid began to rumble, like an earthquake. Merry and the Choruster stopped, the girl freezing in fear.

A gold energy beam shot out from the tip of the pyramid, enveloping Merry, and lifting her off the ground.

“Um, what’s happening!?” Will questioned, shooting to his feet, the Doctor and Susan doing so as well. “Is that supposed to happen!?”

“Help!” Merry screamed, kicking and flailing as she was suddenly dragged through the empty void between the amphitheater and the pyramid.

“Why isn’t anybody doing anything!?” Will bellowed, looking around. “Isn’t anyone going to help her!?”

Susan tapped Will on the shoulder, and gestured for him to follow, as she and the Doctor took back off into the bazaar.

“Why are we walking away!?” Will demanded, as they darted in between the market stalls. “We can't just walk away, this is my fault! I talked her into doing this!”

“Will,” The Doctor shot over his shoulder, “If there’s one thing you need to know about traveling with us, besides the blue box and the two hearts-“

“Two _what!?”_

“Is that we never walk away.” The Doctor finished. He walked up to an alien running one of the stalls. He said something to her in her native tongue, a harsh, clicking language, as he turned back around. “I need something precious.”

Will patted his pockets, before remembering he took them from the TARDIS wardrobe. “I… don’t have anything.”

Susan looked down at her wrist, at the Mickey Mouse watch secured around it. She hesitated for a moment, before ripping it off, presenting it to the Doctor.

The Doctor somberly took it, nodding, as he presented it to the alien.

“Right, Susan, Will.” He cracked his neck. “Hop on.”

****

“Ah!” Will screamed, desperately trying not to look down, as he grabbed onto Susan for dear life, as she grasped calmly onto the Doctor.

“Say ‘wheee!’” The Doctor yelled.

“AHHHH!” Will continued, as if he let go at any moment, he could go flying off into the void.

“There she is!” The Doctor pointed, as they got close to Merry.

“I’ve got you!” Susan reached up to grab onto Merry’s hand. The moment her fingers brushed the younger girl’s hands, Merry was tugged away even faster, being dragged into the pyramid.

“Brakes!” Will shouted. “The brakes!”


	8. The Rings of Akhaten, Part Three

“Will… I need you to let go.” Susan said, as the speeder bike finally came to a rest at the base of the alien pyramid.

“I can’t.” Will responded, shaking in his boots.

“Will, you have to.” Susan stated, as the Doctor got off the speeder first, walking over to the door.

“Why?”

“Because it’s starting to hurt.” Susan replied. “And for god’s sake, calm down. I can feel you poking me.”

Will winced in embarrassment, immediately releasing Susan, scrambling off the speeder.

“Oh, that’s interesting…” The Doctor mumbled, running the sonic screwdriver over the door. “Frequency-modulated acoustic lock. The key changes ten million zillion squillion times a second.”

“Can you open it?” Susan questioned.

“Technically, no.” The Doctor answered. “In reality, also no, but still, let's give it a stab.”

“I don’t understand,” Will began, “How could they just stand there and watch?”

“Because this is sacred ground.” The Doctor answered.

“But she’s a kid!” Will replied.

“And he's a god.” The Doctor retorted. “Well, he is to them, anyway.”

Suddenly, a scream came from the other side of the door. Merry’s scream.

“Merry!” Will pressed his ear against the door. “Hold on! We’ll be inside soon!”

“Yes, yes, yes, yes.” His eyes twinkled mischievously as the screwdriver beeped, and he looked at the display. “Oh, hello.”

Will turned to the Time Lord. “Hello what?”

“The sonic's locked on to the acoustic tumblers.” The Doctor explained.

Will raised an expectant eyebrow. “Meaning?”

The Doctor grinned. “Meaning I get to do this.” He pressed down the button on the device, and the door slid up, allowing the three access into the pyramid. The Doctor took a step forward, standing under the door, pointing the screwdriver up, holding the sliding piece of metal up. “Hello there.” He said to Merry, who was standing frozen in front of a glass box, a mummy that looked similar to the Chorusters sitting inside. “I'm the Doctor, this is my daughter Susan, and you've met Will. He was supposed to be having a nice day out. Still, it's early yet. Are you coming, then? Did I mention that the door is immensely heavy?”

“Leave.” Merry replied. “You'll wake him.”

“Really quite extraordinarily heavy.” The Doctor strained, as he was pushed down to his knees. “Susan, Will, any second now!”

Susan and Will approached further into the pyramid.

“Old God, never wake from slumber…” The Choruster sung, seemingly unaware or uncaring of the intruders.

“Merry,” Will addressed, “We need to leave.”

“No.” Merry took a step back. “Go away.”

“Not without you.” Will insisted.

“You said I wouldn't get it wrong and then I got it wrong. And now this has happened.” Merry retorted, shaking. “Look what happened!”

Will shook his head. “You didn't get it wrong.”

“How do you know? You don't know anything. You have to go! Go now, or he'll eat us all.”

Will looked to the mummy sitting in the glass box. “Well, he's ugly. But you know, to be honest, I don't think he looks big enough.”

“Not our meat,” Merry swallowed, “our souls.” She clutched onto her temples, a stream of purple energy shooting out from her forehead, pinning Susan and Will to the wall to stop them from rescuing her. “He doesn't want you. He wants me. If you don't leave, he'll eat you all up too.” She raid, completely resigned to her fate.

“Yes, and you don't want that, do you? You want us to walk out of this really quite astonishingly heavy door and never come back.”

Merry nodded. “Yes.”

“I see.” The Doctor would’ve tugged at his bow tie, had he not been holding the door up. “Right. Will’s right. Absolutely never going to happen.” The Doctor, despite his physical impairment, rolled out from the door, grabbing the sonic screwdriver and pulling it out of the way before the metal came crashing down.

Susan looked at the Doctor exasperatedly. “Did you just lock us in with the soul eating monster?”

“Yep.” The Doctor replied, offering her an adrenaline-laced grin.”

“And is there _actually_ a way to get out?” Susan questioned.

“What? Before it eats our souls?”

Susan rolled her eyes. “Ideally, yes.”

“Possibly. Probably. There usually seems to be.” The Doctor replied.

“Doctor,” Will looked over to the Choruster, still knelt on the floor, chanting. “Why is he still singing?

“Old God, rest your weary, holy head.” The Coruster hymned.

“He's trying to sing the Old God back to sleep,” The Doctor answered Will, “but that's not going to happen. He's waking up, mate.” He directed to the singing alien. “He's coming, ready or not. You want to run.”

The Choruster fell silent, slowly pushing himself up.

“That's it, then. Song's over.” The Doctor stated, the Choruster looking at the Time Lord.

“The song is over.” The Choruster echoed. “My name is Chorister Rezh Baphix, and the Long Song ended with me.” He raised his arm, presenting a bracelet. He pressed the button and vanished in a column of light.

“That's it, then. Song's over.” The Doctor repeated.

The Mummy, the Old God trapped inside the glass prison, roared, waking up.

“Ah ha! Look at that.” The Doctor pointed.

“You've woken him.” Merry swallowed fearfully.

“It's awake?” Will repeated “What's it doing?” He asked, as the desiccated body stood up, taking a few shaky steps towards the glass.

“Oh, you know. Having a nice stretch.” The Doctor replied.

The Old God began to pound on the glass, trying to get out, startling Merry.

“No, we didn't wake him.” The Doctor directed to Merry. ”And you didn't wake him, either. He's waking because it's his time to wake, and feed. On you, apparently. On your stories.”

“She didn't say stories. She said souls.” Will recalled.

“Same thing. The soul's made of stories, not atoms. Everything that ever happened to us. People we love, people we lost. People we found again against all the odds. He threatens to wake, they offer him a pure soul. The soul of the Queen of Years.”

“Stop it.” Will ordered, his stomach lurching. She said she held everything that was known… the perfect offering to a god in a festival of offerings.

“You're scaring her.” Susan hissed.

“Good. She should be scared. She's sacrificing herself. She should know what that means.” He shot back to Susan, before turning to Merry. “Do you know what it means, Merry?

Merry swallowed. “A god chose me.”

“It's not a god.” The Doctor shook his head vehemently. “It'll feed on your soul, but that doesn't make it a god. It is a vampire, and you don't need to give yourself to it. Hey, do you mind if I tell you a story? One you might not have heard. All the elements in your body were forged many, many millions of years ago, in the heart of a far away star that exploded and died. That explosion scattered those elements across the desolations of deep space. After so, so many millions of years, these elements came together to form new stars and new planets. And on and on it went. The elements came together and burst apart, forming shoes and ships and sealing wax, and cabbages and kings. Until eventually, they came together to make you. You are unique in the universe. There is only one Merry Gejelh. And there will never be another. Getting rid of that existence isn't a sacrifice. It is a waste.

“So, if I don't, then everyone else-“

“Will be fine.” The Doctor cut her off.

“How?” Merry questioned.

“There's always a way.”

“You promise?”

The Doctor smiled. “Cross my hearts.” He made the gesture.

Merry took a fearful breath, as she released Will and Susan, the Mummy finally having broken through the glass.

“Great,” Susan stated, her, Will, and Merry surrounding the Doctor. “Now, have an escape plan?”

“Less a plan, more a general idea.” The Doctor answered.

The asteroid began to rumble.

Will looked up. “What was that?”

“The Vigil.” Merry recognized.

“And what's the Vigil?” The Doctor probed.

“If the Queen of Years is unwilling to be feasted upon…”

“Yes?” The Time Lord prodded

Merry swallowed. “It's their job to feed her to Grandfather.”

In a puff of black smoke, the three skull-faced thugs from before materialized, stepping forward.

“I'm sorry. I'm sorry.” Merry stuttered, stepping away.

“Don't you dare.” Susan threatened to the Vigil, putting herself between them and Merry.

“Yeah, stay back. I'm armed. With a screwdriver.” The Doctor rambled, pointing it at the beings.

The lead Vigil stepped forward, letting out an acoustic blast that knocked the screwdriver out of the Doctor's hand, then another that sent the somersaulting backward through the air. Another blast sent Susan and Will flying back, and the Vigil began to lead Merry forward.

“Susan.” The Doctor rolled over; the wind having been knocked out of him. “Sonic.” He requested. The girl ran over, throwing it back over to him as he sprung to his feet, using it to set up a shield against the Vigil.

Merry, seeing this, ran back over, through the shield, the Vigil beginning to pound against the defenses.

“You know all the stories. You gotta know if there's another way out.” Will directed to Merry.

Merry licked her lips in thought. “There's a tale. A secret song. The Thief of the Temple and the Nimmer's Door.

“And the secret songs open the secret door?” Susan assumed. “How does it go? Can you sing it?”

Merry sung a series of notes, a door on the wall beside them sliding open.

“Susan, Will, get her out of here!” The Doctor commanded. “Go!”

The three ran outside, Susan looking back towards the door just in time to see the Doctor’s shield fall, before the door shut completely.

“Father!” Susan ran up to the door. Through the thick metal, she could hear the glass shattering, as the Mummy broke completely free of its ancient prison, and a golden beam shot out from the tip of the pyramid, towards the sun.

Through the other side of the door, Susan could hear the Vigils’ ominous chanting stop, before a teleport engaged.

“Where did they go?” Susan asked.

“Grandfather's awake. They're of no function anymore.” The Doctor replied, the pit in his stomach growing deeper by the second as his brain worked through the conundrum.

Will huffed. “Well, you could sound happier about it.”

“Actually, I think I may have made a bit of a tactical boo-boo.” The Doctor stammered. “More of a semantics mix-up, really.”

Susan closed her eyes, pressing her forehead to the door frustratedly, knowing just how much trouble the Doctor got into when he messed up. “What boo-boo?”

“I thought the Old God was Grandfather, but it wasn't. It was just Grandfather's alarm clock.” The Doctor explained, as the activity on Akhaten’s surface began to increase.

“Sorry, I’m lost.” Will admitted. “I thought you said that the Old God was a facet of Akhaten, the sun.”

“Unfortunately…” The Doctor swallowed. “Yes.”

The sun roared with activity, all heads shooting over to it.

“Oh my God...” Susan breathed, staring at the snarling, demonic face on Akhaten’s surface. “What do we do?”

“Against that? I don't know. Do you know? I don't know. Any ideas?”

“But you promised. You promised!” Merry shouted.

“I did. I did promise.” The Doctor admitted.

“He'll eat us all. He'll spread across the system, consuming the Seven Worlds. And when there's no more to eat, he'll embark on a new odyssey among the stars.” Merry hysterically rambled.

“Well, let’s leg it and let him keep it!” Will said. Because, realistically, what did you do when something _that big_ wanted you dead?

“Leg it where, exactly!?” Susan whipped over to Will.

“Um…” Will shrugged uncertainly. “I’ve always wanted to visit Canada?”

“Canada, there’s an idea!” The Doctor shouted through the door. “The whole place is like the sweeping vistas of Alaska! We should definitely make a stop off there!”

Susan closed her eyes. “You're going to fight it, aren't you?”

“Regrettably, yes.” The Doctor confirmed. “I think I may be about to do that.”

“It's _really_ big.”

“I've seen bigger.”

Will raised an eyebrow. “Really?”

The Doctor snorted. “Are you joking? It's massive.”

“I'm staying with you.” Susan resolved.

“No, you're not.” The Doctor retorted.

“Yes, I am. I can help.”

“No, you can't.”

“What about that stuff you said?” Will asked, trying to help Susan out. “We don't walk away.”

“No.” The Doctor agreed. “We don't walk away. But when we're holding on to something precious, we _run_. We run and run as fast as we can and we don't stop running until we are out from under the shadow. Now, off you pop. Take the moped. I'll walk.”

Susan looked to Will and nodded. She climbed onto the speeder first, followed by Will and Merry, as they prepared to speed back to the auditorium.

Back inside the pyramid, the Doctor walked around to the large, open space, allowing him a direct view of Akhaten, and the snarling, sinister face the sun had suddenly grown.

“Any ideas?” He muttered to himself. “No, didn't think so. Righty-ho, then.” The Doctor straightened his bow tie and swallowed. “Lordy.”


	9. The Rings of Akhaten, Part Four

The speeder came to a stop, landing just inside the bounds of the amphitheater, Susan, Will, and Merry climbing off, looking back to the pyramid fearfully.

“Isn't he frightened?” Merry asked.

Susan nodded slowly. “I think he is. I think he's very frightened.”

“I want to help.” Merry resolved.

“So do I.” Will agreed.

Merry’s eyebrows knit together, as she thought of something, and stepped onto her pedestal. She took a deep breath, and the words began to flow. “Rest now. My warrior... Rest now, your hardship is over.”

Merry’s voice carried far through the oxygenated space between the amphitheater and the pyramid, and was loud enough for the Doctor, standing facing down the raging Akhaten, to hear her clearly.

The Doctor scratched his head, before smiling. “Okay, then. That's what I'll do. I'll tell you a story.”

Back in the amphitheater, Will, Susan, and the audience, despite not having any idea what Merry was about to belt out, found the words coming to their minds, and began to join in.

“Live. Wake up, wake up.” Every person on the asteroids surrounding Akhaten began to sing as one, with Merry taking the lead. “And let the cloak of life cling to your bones…”

“Can you hear them?” The Doctor posed the question to the infernal God.

_“Cling to your bones…”_

“All these people who've lived in terror of you and your judgement?”

_“Wake up,”_

“All these people whose ancestors devoted themselves,”

_Wake up…_

“Sacrificed themselves, to you.” The Doctor pointed back. “Can you hear them singing?”

_“Live… Wake up, wake up…”_

“Oh, you like to think you’re a god?” The Doctor rhetorically asked. “But you’re not a god.”

_“And let the cloak of life cling to your bones…”_

“You’re just a parasite!” The Doctor stated. “Eaten out with jealousy and envy and longing for the lives of others.”

_“Cling to your bones…”_

“You feed on them!” The Doctor furiously pointed. “On the memory of love and loss and birth and death and joy and sorrow. So…”

_“Wake up, wake up…”_

“So…” The Doctor threw his arms out. “Come on, then. Take mine.”

_“Live…”_

“Take my memories.” The Doctor offered. “But I hope you've got a big appetite,” The Doctor groaned, as Akhaten’s titanic maw opened, tendrils of light reaching out and piercing the Time Lord in the chest, “Because I have lived a long life and I have seen a few things…”

_“Wake up, wake up… And let the cloak of life cling to your bones.”_

“I walked away from the Last Great Time War. I marked the passing of the Time Lords. I saw the birth of the universe and I watched as time ran out, moment by moment, until nothing remained. No time. No space. Just me. I walked in universes where the laws of physics were devised by the mind of a mad man. I've watched universes freeze and creations burn. I've seen things you wouldn't believe. I have lost things you will never understand. And I know things. Secrets that must never be told. Knowledge that must never be spoken. Knowledge that will make parasite gods blaze! So come on, then! Take it! Take it all, baby! Have it! YOU! HAVE! IT! ALL!”

_“Wake up… Wake up…”_

As the Long Song finally ended, the Doctor collapsed to the ground, clutching his chest, as Akhaten’s face twitched, and decayed, fading into nothing, as the Old God became another star once more.

****

The Doctor walked back through the bazaar, smiling once he got back to the TARDIS.

“Home again, home again, jiggity jig.” The Time Lord said, pushing open the door to the ship.

“So… that’s really it?” Will questioned, he and Susan filing in behind the Doctor. “We all sing a song, and Akhaten falls back asleep, just like that?”

“Just like that.” The Doctor confirmed. “Oh, and before I forget.” He reached into his pocket, passing Susan back her Mickey Mouse watch she’d offered to the shopkeeper earlier.

“How…?” Susan looked to the Doctor questioningly.

“We saved their entire star system.” The Doctor shrugged. “They owed us a favor. So,” The Doctor clapped his hands, moving over to the control console. “Not bad for your first proper trip in the TARDIS, eh?”

“It was amazing.” Will said. Even with all that had been going down.

“Well then, we’ll just have to make sure the next go ‘round is even better.” The Doctor resolved, as he threw the TARDIS back into motion, leaving the rings of Akhaten behind.


	10. Hawkins: The Search

“Will!” Joyce called, as the little search party made up of her and Jonathan moved through the woods.

“Will!” Jonathan yelled, as they came up on Castle Byers.

Joyce swallowed, as she pushed the old bedsheet acting as a door aside, looking in.

She flashed back to a memory of a happier time, long before any of the nightmare with the Upside Down, the Demogorgon, and the Shadow Monster. Poltergeist had just come out, and she’d gotten off work early so she and Will could go see it together.

Despite him telling her he wouldn’t get scared, he did have to sleep with his door open and the bathroom light on for a couple of nights after that.

Joyce sniffled, feeling anxious tears prickling at her eyes. Wherever he was, she hoped Will was alright.

****

Cortana looked worriedly into El’s room, the girl bleeding profusely from her nose as she worked to find Will, unsuccessfully.

After a couple of minutes, the woman could hear El sniffling.

Cortana drew her lips into a line, knocking on the wide open door, entering slowly.

“Hey, El, sweetie?” Cortana spoke, as she gingerly entered, El crying as she sat on her bed. “What’s wrong?”

“I can’t find him.” El cried, “I’ve been looking all day, but I still can’t see him… I’m worried. What if we don’t find him, and it’s my fault?”

“Hey,” Cortana sat down across from her, “We’re doing everything we can.” She gently told her. “It’s only the first day of searching. And you don’t have to do this alone. We’re all looking for him. Me, you, John, Hopper, Joyce, Jonathan, Bob, Mike, Max, Lucas, Dustin, Steve, and Robin. I promise you, El, no matter how long it takes, how much we have to search for him, we are going to find him.”

El stared into the distance. “What if… what if it’s my fault? Why he’s missing?”

Cortana tilted her head. “El, what on Earth could’ve possibly given you that impression?”

El sniffled. “He was my friend, but… I wanted to spend more time with Mike than anyone else. What if he ran away because he thought I didn’t like him?”

“El,” Cortana began, “All of that was months ago. And Will, he’s an understanding person. He may not have liked it, but he wouldn’t have just up and ran over it. Trust me, El, this isn’t any more your fault than the rest of us. Now,” She patted the girl on the leg, standing up, “Get some rest. You’re running yourself ragged trying to look for him.”

“But-“

“You’re not going to find him if you keel over from exhaustion.” Cortana stated. “El, please… If not for yourself, then to make finding him easier.

El swallowed, and slowly nodded. “Okay…”

“El… We are going to find him.”

El said nothing.


	11. Interlude: Teatime

Will walked barefoot through the twisting labyrinthian corridors of the TARDIS, wandering aimlessly with no real destination in mind.

The events of Akhaten were still fresh in his mind, and he couldn’t shake them. The enormous, snarling face, the simple burning _hatred_ of the thing burned in his mind, reminding him freshly of the Shadow Monster.

“Trouble sleeping?” A voice to his right asked, and Will jumped.

Susan was standing there, wearing a bathrobe, leaning in a doorframe.

“N-no…” Will stuttered. “I’m fine.”

“Will,” Susan began, grasping onto him to drive the point home, “You can tell me or the Doctor anything. We won’t belittle you. Trust me…” She glanced away. “We’ve seen our fair share of troubles too.”

“It’s…” Will sighed, struggling to find where to begin.

Susan glanced at the door behind her. “It might be easier if we don’t have this conversation out in the hall.” She walked over to the door, pressing the button on the side, the door sliding open. She glanced back at Will, waving for him to follow.

Will took the step inside to what he assumed was Susan’s room. The entire room was much larger than Will’s own room, and a stark white color, with glowing round things dotting the area of the walls. Items from what he assumed were planets all over the universe scattered about haphazardly, speaking silently of just how many places Susan and the Doctor had visited before Will came aboard. A king-size bunk bed sat at the far end of the room, and a massive black screen hung on the wall, a couch directly across from it.

“Tea?” Susan offered, walking over to one of the roundels. She popped it open, revealing it to have a hot plate behind it, a tea kettle sitting on it.

“Sure.” Will replied. “You make food in here.?”

“Nah.” Susan shook her head. “This is just for tea.”

“Of course, you’re British, aren’t you?”

That made Susan laugh slightly. “From a certain perspective, I suppose.” She replied, pouring some of the steaming liquid out of the kettle. “How do you take it?”

“I… dunno.” Will admitted. “I haven’t had hot tea. Just sweet tea.”

Susan gaped theatrically. “Oh, you poor thing. Don’t worry, we’ll fix that.” She said, dropping a few sugar cubes and pouring a small bit of milk into the cup, turning the tea slightly cloudy. “Here.” Susan held out the small cup on the plate for Will to take.

Will looked down at it slightly apprehensively, before taking a small sip. His eyebrows shot up in surprise, finding the tea rather pleasant, before he began to drink at it faster.

“Well now, looks like we’ll make a proper tea-drinking gentleman out of you yet.” Susan remarked, going to sit down on the nearby couch with her own tea. “So, what’s eating you?”

Will put the cup back on the plate. “It’s Akhaten… You’d say most of those aliens weren’t the evil kind, just people going about their days, right?”

Susan smiled proudly. “Very perceptive of you, yes. Most aliens aren’t evil, just people trying to survive.”

“Okay, so…” Will struggled for a moment. “They knew Merry was the Queen, and what that meant, right? So how could they just… sit by and watch as she was dragged away, knowing that she was going to be consumed by that… thing.”

“Ah,” Susan sucked in her lips. “Choose the difficult question why don’t you?” She sighed. “I suppose, the thing you have to really understand is, most aliens, because they are just people, are also subject to many of the same faults and pitfalls as humans. The people there in the festival knew what was going to happen to Merry, yes, even if she herself was told otherwise… In short, I suppose you could call it bystander syndrome.”

“So they just didn’t care until it started affecting them?” Will questioned.

“Sadly…” Susan nodded. “Yes. Of course, Akhaten was their God, and they were right about bad things happening if it woke up…”

“But they still tried to let it eat a kid!” Will replied, shaking. “Is it like that everywhere?” He questioned. “I came with you guys to see the universe, but if it’s just going to be the same old story as things on Earth…”

“Will,” Susan began, “I won’t pretend that the universe is a perfect place. Somewhere there’s danger. Somewhere there’s injustice… Somewhere else the tea’s getting cold. But it isn’t all bad. Like Earth, you have whole countries filled with starving people, while across the planet, you have some of the greatest natural beauties to have ever formed. The Doctor and I, we’ve seen a whole lot of evil, more than you could ever possibly imagine… But we’ve also seen so many beautiful things. That’s why we keep traveling. To see the good in the universe, and, when we see it, give the bad guys a good kick in the rear.”

“So, if that’s true… then why’d you bring me?” Will asked. “I’m not special, I’m nobody important, I’m not brave…”

“Oh, don’t sell yourself short.” Susan replied. “You were ready to put it all on the line for a girl you didn’t know, only knowing she was very scared. The Doctor and I, we saw that in you. And, well…”

Will tilted his head. “Well what?”

Susan sighed. “We’re old. So, so very old…”

“You don’t look that old.”

Susan snorted. “Oh, you have no idea…” She glanced over to him. “If I told you that the Doctor was old enough to be your messiah, and I was at least as old as the country you were born in, how would you react?”

Will blinked. “I’d… say both of you look damn good for your ages.”

Susan laughed, a light, bright sound that Will thought was like birdsong. “Good answer.” It died down, and the look on her face sobered. “So?”

“So what?”

“Are you having second thoughts about coming with us?”

“…I don’t think so, no.” Will shook his head. “I do have another question, though.”

Susan threw out a hand. “Shoot.”

“You look just like one of my friends.” Will commented. “El. You’re not her sister, though, or are you?”

“I’m not.”

“Okay… then how come you look like her?”

“The universe is infinite.” Susan replied, shifting in her seat. Will wasn’t sure, but it looked like she was hiding something, either uncomfortable for her, or hard to explain. “The same patterns are bound to repeat eventually, even in different people.”

“Right…” Will nodded. “Right, well. Good talk.”

“It was.” Susan replied as Will turned to leave. “You know… You don’t have to leave.”

Will turned back around. “Hm?”

“It’s been a while since I hung around with someone my own age.”

“I thought you said you were old enough to be older than America?”

“In human years.” Susan elaborated. “In my own people’s terms, I’d only be as old as you are.”

“Oh…” Will blinked, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable. He didn’t give it much thought until now, but it made some sense. The two hearts, the bigger on the inside spaceship… The Doctor and Susan were aliens too. “You’re an alien.”

“Yeah.” Susan quickly confirmed. “Is that a problem?”

“No.” Will denied just as quickly. “So… What did you have in mind?”

****

A discordant cackling came from somewhere distantly in the TARDIS, and the Doctor’s eyes creaked open, him looking up at the ceiling with a frustrated grumble.

The cackling came again, and the Doctor pushed himself out of bed, grabbing his cane, not caring that he was still in his bow tie patterned pajamas, as he stomped towards the source. Susan’s room.

“…That’s Paul Rubens, right?” The Doctor could hear Will ask.

“Yep.” Susan confirmed, as the Doctor approached the door. “This was the first time he reprised the role of Pee Wee Herman since he got caught masturbating in an adult film theater.”

“…You’re kidding me.”

“Nope.”

“…So, you know what that means, right?” Will asked, struggling to hold back his laughter as the joke ran through his mind.

“What?”

“…They caught him playing with his Pee Wee!”

The two erupted into boisterous laughter, as the Doctor slammed his palm against the door control, the door sliding open.

Will and Susan were sitting on the floor, heads turned to her sixty-inch television, eating out of a pile of junk food, both heads shooting over to him, wide-eyed in surprise.

“Hey…” The Doctor seethed. “Shut up.”

“Oof,” Susan winced, “Someone get out on the wrong side of the bed?”

“It’s kind of hard to sleep when you two are holding a comedy club right down the corridor!” The Doctor retorted, taking in the state of the room before him. His eyes flickered over to the TV, and his sleepy rage immediately died down. “…Is that Pee Wee Herman?”

“Yeah.” Will confirmed.

“…Scoot over,” The Doctor commanded, “I wanna watch too.”

Susan rolled her eyes, even as she scooted across the floor, allowing the Doctor to sit in between her and Will, giving the eldest Time Lord direct access to the snack stack in front of them.

“So Will,” The Doctor began, throwing a piece of chocolate covered popcorn in his mouth, “How are you liking things aboard the TARDIS so far?”

“I kinda like it here.” Will answered. “Though I gotta admit… It probably wasn’t a good idea to get in a vehicle with a stranger.”

“I’m not a stranger, I’m the Doctor.” The Time Lord replied, taking another fistful of chocolate popcorn.

“Besides,” Susan entered in with a puckish grin, “We both know he only came aboard because he saw a pretty girl.”

Will spluttered on his drink, making a mess all over his shirt.

“Ha ha!” Susan laughed, pointing. “Did you see his face? Amazing!”

“Susan, quit teasing.” The Doctor admonished. “We offered Will all of time and space, why would he come along for a girl? Honestly, it doesn’t make sense.”

Susan sighed. “You really are clueless sometimes, aren’t you?”


	12. TARDIS, Part One

“So!” The Doctor began, throwing a lever on the control console, Surfin’ USA blaring through the console radio. “Beach day! Wide open beaches, waves tall enough to ride all the way into the sunset, and clear skies!”

“I could go for a beach day.” Will commented, leaning on the railing, “I didn’t get to do much swimming at anything that wasn’t a public pool over the summer.”

Susan glanced over at him.

Will shrugged. “Indiana’s landlocked.”

Susan shook her head. “I’ll give you one word of advice Will, if the Doctor says we’re going to the beach, dress for the Russian winter.”

“Now hold on!” The Doctor pointed. “That’s not fair! I’ve gotten us to plenty of beaches!”

Susan crossed her arms. “Okay, name one.”

“Brighton Beach!”

“During the ice age of 3300.” Susan retorted. “When the entire place became frozen over.”

“Malibu.”

“We landed on Thessia.”

“…Santorini?”

“We didn’t go there for the beaches.” Susan stated.

The Doctor huffed, rolling his eyes. “Okay, so, maybe the TARDIS has a slight aversion to beaches, but I can guarantee you, this time, we’ll wind up right on course.”

****

Unbeknownst to the Doctor however, directly in the TARDIS’s flight path, there was a… shall we say cloud, even though it was more of a field or aura, of energy. The bramble-like patch sparked and glowed, and the TARDIS proceeded on towards it, the inhabitants unaware.

****

Susan shook her head. “You said that about Xenion.”

“And we ended up there in the end!” The Doctor replied, unaware of the mauve light that had suddenly started to blink on the console.

“Um, guys?” Will tried to point the light out, the two Time Lords unheeding of him.

“Yeah,” Susan continued towards the Doctor, “Three months later, after we had already decided it was a lost cause trying to get there!”

“Guys.”

“Lost cause!?” The Doctor repeated. “I remember saying no such thing!”

“Guys!” Will yelled.

“What!?” Both heads whipped towards him.

“Is that light supposed to be flashing?” Will pointed to the light on the console.

The Doctor and Susan both turned to look at the light, their expressions quickly sobering. “Mauve alert!?” The Doctor yelped, running over to the console.

“Great, just great!” Susan sprinted over to join him.

“Mauve?” Will repeated. “What’s mauve?”

“The universally recognized color for danger.” Susan answered, “Help me reverse course!” She ordered the Doctor.

“What about red?” Will asked.

“That’s what I’m trying to do, thank you very much!” The Doctor shot back to Susan. “And everybody else thinks red’s camp. Oh, the misunderstandings, all that dancing.”

The lights around the upper rim of the console room began to flash the same mauve color, as an alert whistle began to sound.

“No time for course changes,” The Doctor yelled, “Will, grab onto something!”

The Doctor’s words had barely left the Time Lord’s mouth, before the console room began to shake like the TARDIS was caught in an earthquake. The lights overhead sparked and burst, as the spinning mechanisms above the time rotor jammed, grinding against each other.

“What’s happening!?” Will shouted, grabbing onto the railing for dear life. He could’ve sworn he heard screaming, yet not from him, Susan, or the Doctor. It was coming from somewhere else, and it sounded so painful, like whatever creature that was the source was experiencing death.

“Don’t know, but the electrical impulses in the console are being jammed!” The Doctor replied, wildly manipulating the controls to get anything beneficial to happen.

Another quake tore through the TARDIS, throwing the three to the floor, as the room became pitch black, the TARDIS calming as it presumably cleared the cloud.

The Doctor heaved, as his eyes struggled to adjust to the darkness. “Everyone alright?”

“Yep,” Susan grunted, pulling herself back up to her feet, “Feeling fine.”

“Will?”

Will groaned, rubbing his head. “I hit my head.”

In a microsecond, the console room filled with light once more, just enough to illuminate the three, the Doctor holding up what looked like a fluorescent light attached to a handle.

“Where’d you get that?” Will asked, as the Doctor crouched down in front of him, shining the sonic screwdriver in his eyes like a penlight.

“My cane’s not just a cane, you know.” The Doctor answered, shaking the light. Indeed, the normally polished black rod of the cane was actually the source of the light. “No concussion.” The Doctor stuck the screwdriver back in his coat pocket. “We’ll get this mess sorted, and then take you to the sickbay to give you a proper look over.”

The Doctor helped Will to his feet, before going back to look over the console unit.

“What happened?” Will asked, rubbing the bump on his head.

“I don’t know.” The Doctor answered. “Anything?” He asked Susan.

The girl shook her head, fiddling with the inactive controls on her side.

The Doctor sighed, turning to proceed down the steps to the lower level.

“I don’t understand,” Will said, “The TARDIS should have like defenses and stuff to protect against this sort of thing, right?”

“Yeah,” Susan answered, turning in the Doctor’s direction, “She does. I would very much like to know why they weren’t active!”

“I… disabled them for…” The Doctor mumbled something, wiping his mouth.

“What was that?” Susan questioned them.

“I disabled them so Shepard could come aboard for our dinner!” The Doctor replied, as he crossed the distance to the containers on the lower level.

“Dinner!?” Susan repeated. “Did you have a _dinner date_ with Shepard!? That is disgusting on so many levels!”

Will shifted on his feet. “Who’s Shepard?”

“Long story.” The Doctor replied. “And no, it wasn’t a date! It was two friends who hadn’t seen each other in a long time getting together for a civil discussion! In the middle of the night. Without telling anyone.” He rambled, grabbing the hand generator, a device shaped more like a mechanical whisk with a jack coming out one end, out of the compartment. He walked back up the stairs, handing it to Will. “Here, start cranking that.”

“Why?” Will questioned.

“Because I need to see what we hit, go, go!” The Doctor commanded, gesturing for Will to crank as he plugged the jack into a port on the console. Will rolled his eyes, but began to do as he was told, one of the monitors around the rim of the console slowly flickering to life. The screen, though heavily cut through with static, showed what looked like a glowing briar patch in space.

“What _is_ that?” Will questioned, looking at the cloudy mess on the screen.

“That’s what we hit. The Scourge.” The Doctor answered. “An unstable cloud of dark energy centered in the Andromeda Galaxy’s Heleus Cluster. Capable of disabling the biggest ships with ease. And we flew right into it.”

“So,” Susan searched, “What do we do?”

“Well, given that we aren’t a giant fireball right now, the time loop around the Eye of Harmony is holding…” The Doctor muttered, rubbing his chin in thought. “If we aren’t getting power, it should just be a matter of getting down to the Power Distribution Centre, and finding out the problem there.”

“Hold on…” Will’s eyebrows knit together, as he focused on a glowing point on the screen, what looked like a solar eclipse, a black object haloed by orange light. “What is that?”

Susan’s eyes focused on the point Will gestured to, and her eyes widened fearfully, as she took a deep breath, trying to remain calm. “That… would be a black hole.”

“And if the way it’s getting bigger is any indication,” The Doctor continued, swallowing, “We’re drifting right towards it.”


	13. TARDIS, Part Two

“Alright,” The Doctor began, placing down a map on the desk, the light from his cane allowing them to see. “This is us,” He pointed to the center point on the tapestry of corridors and rooms, “In the console room. Now,” He looked to Susan and Will, “Getting the TARDIS restarted is going to be a three-person job. One of us needs to stay here in order to pilot the ship, another is going to have to go to the power distribution centre near the Eye of Harmony here,” He pointed to a large void on the map, “And get the power back up. And lastly, one of us is going to have to go down to the engine room, and manually purge the engines.”

“Purge?” Will repeated. “Why do we need to purge them?”

“It’s the dark energy.” Susan answered, Will nodding in response. “When we ran into the Scourge, the artron energy the TARDIS generates acted like a sort of magnet, and the dark energy was pulled in. That was the turbulence we felt. Now, the TARDIS engines are designed to soak up a certain kind of energy, but with the dark energy already inside them, they’ll draw on that first, and-“

“It’ll be like a regular petrol-driven motor trying to burn diesel.” The Doctor simplified for the human.

“Anyway, if we don’t purge the engines, vent the dark energy, then the engines are going to try to use that-“

“And the TARDIS will explode.”

“Um, yeah, that sounds bad.” Will stuttered. “Can’t we signal someone for help?”

The Doctor rolled his eyes. “Of course, TARDIS AA, because the universe is a really small place and there’s bound to be someone nearby!” He shook his head, bending back over the map. “No, we have to do this, and we need to do it fast.”

Susan crossed her arms. “I think you’re forgetting one important detail: Will has never flown a TARDIS, the background radiation in the engine room would kill him, and he has no clue how to reset the power!”

The Doctor patted his pockets for something, before pulling out a small, obsidian black rectangle, tossing it to Will.

Will frowned, looking at the unfamiliar device. “What is this?”

“It’s a phone.” The Doctor answered.

“…A phone?” Will repeated. “No way.”

“Will, you’re on board a bigger-on-the-inside spaceship that can travel in time with two aliens that look human.” The Doctor retorted. “I don’t have time to explain the great technology boom of the early 21st century.” He reached into his other pocket, pulling out an identical one. “It has a flashlight, use it.” The Doctor recommended. “I’ll guide you to the power distribution centre and walk you through what you need to do.”

“Leaving me with the engines.” Susan grumbled.

“Someone needs to stay up here to pilot.” The Doctor replied, “And even with me having to use a cane, you don’t have the same dexterity I do.”

“Why? Because I’m a girl?”

“No, because you’re a teenager and your arms are short.”

“…Good point.”

****

“Alright, I’m coming up on another intersection.” Will spoke into the speakerphone, using the light on the back to navigate safely. He had to admit, this ‘smartphone’ was a nifty little gadget. Absently, he wondered what other functions it could perform.

 _“Okay, so, you’re by Karaoke Bar Nine, so… Go left.”_ Came the Doctor’s directions.

“Left, got it.” Will replied, taking the turn, “How much further?”

“About, oh… half a mile?”

“Half a mile.” Will repeated sarcastically. “Great.” Will suddenly heard a pop coming from one end of the corridor, freezing in his tracks. “Did you hear that?”

 _“I heard it here, too.”_ The Doctor confirmed. _“Quick, what does the air taste like?”_

“What?”

_“Just answer the question, quick!”_

“Metallic.” Will answered. “And it’s got a kinda… ozone-y smell, too.”

 _“Will… Hide.”_ The Doctor commanded. _“Now. And take me off speakerphone.”_

Before the teenager could ask what the Doctor meant, three columns of blue light appeared at the end of the corridor, and Will darted around the corner, pressing his back against the wall.

The light died down, and across the way, Will could see flashlight beams sweeping across the area.

“Spread out.” An unfamiliar, deep flanged voice ordered. “Find the Time Lord.” A squad of unfamiliar aliens, with bony crests on their heads, came marching past Will, the boy hiding himself in a darkened cavity in the wall.

“What were those?” Will whispered into the phone, once he was absolutely sure the aliens had passed him by.

 _“Kett.”_ The Doctor whispered back. “ _If they’re here… Get to the distribution centre.”_ He commanded. _“We need to get the TARDIS back up and running, before the Kett can find us.”_

“What happens if the Kett get us?” Will asked.

_“You really don’t want to know.”_

****

Susan peeked her head around the corner warily, her eyes narrowing at the aliens patrolling the corridors of _her_ home. Waiting for one of the bony bipeds to walk out of sight, Susan took her chance, darting across the corridor, into the main engine room. She sealed the door behind her and took in the cavernous space before her.

Four massive wheels with pistons driving them sat still on both sides of the room. At the far end, lay a simple screen, shaped rather like a CRT monitor, with a series of levers and buttons directly underneath. Susan walked across, leaning over the darkened screen.

“Come on, Will… Hurry up.”

****

 _“Alright, I’m here.”_ Will informed the Doctor.

The Doctor himself stood poised over the control console, ready to get them out of there, watching fearfully as the black hole inched ever closer to the TARDIS.

“Okay, there should be panel labeled ‘main breaker,’ do you see it?”

_“Yeah.”_

“Open it up and flick the switch.”

Through the line, the Doctor could hear Will struggle to move the big lever, before he heard the click.

 _“Okay,”_ Will replied, _“Now what?”_

“Look in the box next to it, you see all of the switches?”

 _“Yeah, there’s a_ lot.”

“Flick every single last one of ‘em.”

The Doctor could hear the switches click as Will did as he was told, and soon, the light returned to the console room, as the ambient humming caused by the TARDIS’s generators returned to life.

The Doctor could briefly sense the TARDIS’s confusion as she returned to awareness, and then alarm at the unfamiliar aliens, before that alarm swiftly turned into fury. “I know, old girl. There’re bad guys on the prowl.”

“Time Lord!” One of the Kett snarled, striding into the control room with his goons, weapons at the ready.

“Ah, hello!” The Doctor turned around, making a show of being surprised. “Yes, hello, I’m the Doctor! Welcome aboard the TARDIS.” The Doctor’s eyes flicked over to the console monitor. They were receiving power, but the engines still hadn’t been purged yet.

“We know who you are.” The Kett growled.

“Oh, well, you have me at a disadvantage, mister…”

“You may refer to me as the Archon.” The Archon sneered, as though he were talking to a dog. “In the name of the Kett imperium, you and your vessel are now our property.”

The Doctor blinked. “Oh. Don’t I get a say in it?”

“Silence!” The Archon snarled, as his troops moved to cover the platform the Doctor stood on. The Kett troops all raised their weapons, training them on the Doctor. “Relinquish control of this vessel immediately.”

“Just, one thing, before, you know, surrendering completely and totally to you.” The Doctor began. “If I could ask the high and mighty Archon one question, however, if I may? Why do you need my TARDIS?”

The Archon curled his lip. “The technology of your kind is known to us. This vessel shall become our flagship, from which, we shall deliver the gift of Exaltation to all worlds in this universe, and beyond.”

“So… you’re _not_ here to rescue me?” The Doctor placed his hands behind his back. “It was quite the coincidence you stumbled across my TARDIS right in my hour of need. I thought you were the rescue party.”

“A fortunate accident, nothing more.” The Archon replied. “Now, give us the ship.”

“Oh, quite,” The Doctor said, “But, I do feel I should warn you, the TARDIS’s controls don’t respond to biology that isn’t Time Lord.”

“I see…” The Archon narrowed his eyes. “Then you shall pilot it for us.”

The Doctor smiled. “Gladly.”

Unbeknownst to the Kett, however, the Doctor’s hands still clasped behind his back were busy typing away at his phone.

****

Susan bit her lower lip, as she tended to the controls at the end of the engine room. As she hit one of the buttons, the fuel cells at the center of each one of the generators slid out, glowing a sickly orange. The radiation in the room began to skyrocket from the exposed components, and Susan could feel it prickling at her skin, like a limb falling asleep only the sensation was spread out over her whole body,

Still, it wasn’t lethal to her, and she hurried along purging the tainted fuel cells. Taking them over to a specially designed socket in the wall, Susan slid each cell inside, the mechanisms within working inside to siphon away the contaminants, leaving each cell empty. Then, as each engine checked out green, Susan slid the cells back inside, sealing the engines, the radiation levels slowly returning to human-safe quantities.

“Susan!” Will came running inside.

“Will?” She turned around. “What are you doing in here!? How did you even find this place!?”

Will looked up. “The TARDIS… She led me here, I think.” He quickly shook his head, offering Susan his phone. “The Doctor sent me this.”

Susan’s eyebrows knit together as she read the message. _“Find Susan. About to disable grav. Hold on.”_

Susan’s eyes bugged out.

****

The Doctor looked over to the scanner, a satisfied smirk on his face upon the engines returning safe readings. “Well then, gentlemen. It has been lovely meeting you. But, before we go, I do have one last question.”

“No more questions.” The Archon snarled. “Make this ship move.”

“I will, I will, but it’s a quick question, really.” The Doctor sauntered over to the console. “I mean, you teleport over to my ship, with no idea who or what you’re going to find on board, as that ship drifted aimlessly into a black hole. What were you thinking?”

The Archon’s eyes narrowed. “What?”

“Actually, you know what?” The Doctor grinned. “It might be better to say you severely underestimated the _gravity_ of the situation.”

****

“Grab onto me,” Susan commanded, “And don’t let go for anything!”

“I don’t understand,” Will replied, as Susan forced him to hold onto her. “What’s happening!?”

“We’re near the Eye of Harmony, the center of the TARDIS. The upper decks will lose gravity completely, but for us, it’ll be like trying to walk on the surface of the sun!” Susan explained, “Right now, all you need to know is; _Don’t let go!”_

Will, severely confused, nonetheless obeyed. After a moment, the gravity began to pull down ten times as hard, Will’s spine being compressed under its own weight, as Susan held him steady.

****

The Doctor grabbed onto the edge of the console, hit the door release, and immediately after that, the button to disable the artificial gravity.

The door to the outside suddenly became down, as the extreme gravitational forces from the black hole outside intruded into the TARDIS. The Kett unfortunate enough to have been standing near the door were pulled out first, vanishing beyond the event horizon of the black hole.

“Argh!” The Archon screamed, as he grabbed onto the Doctor by the ankle. “Doctor, cease this at once!” He commanded.

“Sorry, Archie, I don’t think you’re in a position to be making demands right now!” The Doctor replied, his knuckles going white under the force of his grip.

“If I die, you will make powerful enemies of the Kett!” The Archon stated, now struggling to hang on by the leg of the Doctor’s trousers alone.

“Powerful, ha!” The Doctor scoffed. “You want to know the enemies I’ve already made? How about the Daleks? Or maybe the Sontarans, they ring a bell!? How about the Cybermen!?”

The Archon snarled. “You will not see the last of the Kett, Time Lord! My brothers will hunt you to the ends of the universe for this slight!”

“Oh yeah?” The Doctor rhetorically asked. “Tell them I’m waiting!” The bottom cuff of the Doctor’s trousers ripped.

The Archon lost his grip, eyes wide, screaming as he was pulled out of the TARDIS by the immense pull of the black hole.

The Doctor watched, sighing as another life was unnecessarily stamped out, before turning back to the console. He reengaged the gravity systems, and flicked the door switch, before activating the engines, dematerializing.


	14. Interlude: Back to Hawkins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So, I had written this to be posted after TARDIS, Part II, but my stupid ass didn't realize I hadn't posted it until reading back through, so, here it is.

“Will?” Susan loomed over him, looking on worriedly, the light haloing her like an angel. Of course, it didn’t help that his eyes were so blurry everything looked like a dream sequence. “Will, are you okay?”

“…Ow.” Will stated in reply. “It hurts.”

“What does?” Susan worriedly asked, looking him over for any injuries.

“Everything.” Will answered. “What was that?”

“The Eye of Harmony.” Susan answered, still checking him. “It’s kind of a star that the TARDIS uses for power. When the Doctor disabled the gravity, we were going to be the ones hit by the strongest of it. My body could handle it, yours…”

“I’m still here, aren’t I?”

“You wouldn’t have been. I… Let’s just say there’s this energy in my body, I used some of it up to strengthen you, long enough for the gravity to get turned back on.” Susan retorted, looking him dead in the eye. “How are you feeling?”

“Like I just ran a marathon.” Will answered, trying to sit up. He frowned, looking around at the surroundings. “Where are we?”

“In the sickbay on the TARDIS.” Susan answered.

Will nodded and moved to get up.

“Where are you going?” Susan demanded, moving an arm to stop him.

“Uh, my room?” Will replied. “Where I can sleep on a bed that doesn’t feel like a concrete slab.”

“Will, you just experienced gravity equivalent to standing on a red dwarf.”

“Are my bones broken?”

“No, but-“

“Am I going to tear my muscles apart from walking.

Susan scowled. “No.”

“Then let me go to my room.” Will requested. “Please.”

“Will, just listen to me.” Susan stated. “After I purged the engines, we only had enough fuel to get us to one destination. Now, we’re not stuck or anything, but in order to refuel, the Doctor had to make a stop off.”

“Okay.” Will nodded, as he tried to stand up. “What’s the big deal, if it’s standard procedure.”

“Well, we thought…” Susan shifted in her seat. “Given how we already know there’s a rift running through it that we can use, and how neither of us wanted you to be completely cut off from school and the like… We stopped back in Hawkins.”

****

The doors to the TARDIS swung open, Will taking a step out into his back yard, looking at his house warily.

“Here we are,” The Doctor said, stepping out after him. “Hawkins, Indana. August 5th, 1985, 1:17 AM. We’re exactly five minutes after we dealt with the Weeping Angel.”

“So…” Will looked to the Doctor. “They don’t know I’ve been gone?”

“As far as they’re concerned, you took a quick bathroom break in the middle of the night.” The Doctor replied. “Now, you should probably get in there, get rested up. You have school in the morning. And we’d better get the TARDIS moved out of your back yard before your family notices it.”

“You guys aren’t leaving me?” Will fearfully asked, looking between Susan and the Doctor. “Are you?”

“No, Will.” Susan answered, a comforting smile on her face. “But it’s going to take about twelve hours to refuel, and, well, it’s not like there’s a lot to do around this town, is there?”

Will snorted. “Yeah.” Still, part of him looked disbelieving.

“Here, tell you what,” The Doctor began digging in his pockets, before tossing something over to Will, “Have that.”

Will looked down at the object in his palm, a small, silver-gold key. “Is this…?”

“TARDIS key.” Susan finished. “Frequent-flyers privilege. Best hold onto that, you’re gonna need it to get back inside.”

“Right.” Will agreed with a slight smile, before he turned on his heel, going back into his house.

The Doctor looked to Susan, who was watching Will go back inside with a smile on her own face. He poked her, before motioning for her to follow him back into the TARDIS.

“So, that was a lot of smiling out there.” The Doctor remarked as he and Susan crossed the distance to the control console. “A lot of smiling at nothing.”

Susan crossed her arms defensively, looking away from the Doctor. “I wasn’t smiling at nothing.” She mumbled.

“Yes you were.” The Doctor calmly retorted, setting the controls. “Smiling at nothing.” He huffed. “I’d go so far as to say you were in love, but let’s be honest here;”

“Honest?” Susan repeated.

The Doctor turned around to face her. “You’re not a young woman anymore.”

“Yes I am!” Susan replied.

“Well, you don’t look it.”

“I do, I do look it!”

“That’s it,” The Doctor laughed, “Keep your spirits up!”

****

Will watched outside his window as the TARDIS vanished. He sighed, as he flopped back down on his bed, drifting to sleep.

Unbeknownst to him, however, though his clock read the correct time, the calendar in the kitchen, that he overlooked upon entering, read a different date.

_August 12, 1985_


	15. Interlude: The Grill

Will yawned, slowly returning to consciousness, as the yellow light from the sun streamed into his room, hitting him in the face. Will turned away, looking to the clock. He blinked, as he read the time.

8:45. He was going to be late.

“Shit!” Will cursed, scrambling out of bed. He tore his dressers open, looking for any clothes he could slip on quickly without thinking about it. Will came bursting out of his room, running down the hallway towards the kitchen. He tripped over his own feet, falling to the floor. He pushed himself back up, leaning on the wall, clutching his head.

“Jonathan,” His mother called, approaching, “What’s-“ She froze in her tracks, looking at Will with a look of shock on her face. “Will… Oh my God, Will…”

“Mom?” Will asked. “What’s-“

He was cut off, as his mother pulled him into a relieved hug. “You’re back…” She cried. “You’re back. I can’t believe it, you’re back…”

“I don’t…” Will stuttered, “I wasn’t…” He looked over to the kitchen table, and his breath caught. Spread out where they normally sat down to eat, were dozens and dozens of missing posters. All emblazoned with his photo. He looked over to the calendar, and his heart stopped.

The Doctor had gotten him back, alright. But it hadn’t been just five minutes…

****

The Doctor walked through downtown Hawkins, seeking out breakfast for him and Susan. There was food in the TARDIS sure, but sometimes, they preferred to eat the foods of the times they found themselves in.

So, here they were, walking towards a little diner without a care in the world, wearing perception filters to better blend in.

“What’ll it be, darlings?” A waitress chewing on gum asked them.

“Mmm… Chicken biscuit sounds good,” The Doctor looked over the menu, “You, Susan?”

“Just a bacon omelet, thanks.”

“Comin’ right up.” The waitress replied, going back towards the kitchen.

The Doctor shifted in his seat, full of energy, going for the little sugar packets nearby, trying to make a little game out of launching them at Susan.

“So, five hours to kill.” Susan deftly dodged the flying scrap. “What do we do?”

The Doctor shrugged. “Small town America, not really much in the way of things to do.” His eyes caught a corkboard nearby and he stopped, before scrambling up out of his seat, sprinting over to look.

“What is it?” Susan asked, turning to the Doctor.

The Time Lord held up a missing poster…

For a fat little tabby cat that apparently belonged to one Brooklyn Harper.

“Cats.” The Doctor grinned madly. “I love cats.”

****

El sat on her bed, clutched by sorrow ever since that morning on the fifth.

All her attempts to find Will had turned up absolutely nothing, the search parties sweeping through Hawkins hadn’t found anything either, and even John, with his suit, wasn’t able to sniff out Will. Despite her best attempts to stay strong, things were… not good. El herself was feeling terrible, feeling partly to blame no matter how often the others told her otherwise. Mike was… Well, to say he was taking it badly was an understatement, he snapped more often than not now, running himself ragged trying to find Will, and the constant objects of his ire seemed to be Dustin, Lucas, and Max, who despite trying to help out, weren’t ‘doing enough’ to help according to him.

El sighed, feeling hopeless as she flopped back onto her bed. The phone in the kitchen rung, and she could hear Cortana sigh, the pregnant woman forcing herself to get up despite how much she didn’t want to, and answer the bells.

“Hello?” Cortana spoke into the phone. “…What!?” She suddenly shouted. “For real this time, you’re sure!? I didn’t mean anything about it, it’s just, we’ve had false alarms, Murray and that photo he drudged up from the Great Depression, remember? Quick, ask him only something he would know.”

El frowned, as she got up, walking out of her room with a confused look on her face. “What’s going on?”

Cortana ignored her for the moment. “…Good God. We’ll be over soon.” She slammed the phone back down on the hook. She turned to El, a giant grin plastered on her face. “He’s back!”

“You mean-?”

“Will, yes, ha ha!” Cortana pumped a fist in relief. “Come on, we need to get over there, ASAP.” The relief from her features slowly dropped, morphing to anger. “And kick his ass for disappearing for a week.”

****

“…I need you to tell us everything that happened kid.” Hopper leveled, sitting down in front of Will. “And I need you to tell us now.”

Joyce stood off to the side, looking in with a lit cigarette clutched anxiously between her fingers. Jonathan, having dropped everything at work to come back, stood next to her, looking on as well. Cortana, John, and El, the three from his friends group who could actually come running, sat on the couch, leaning forward listening, as Hopper grilled him.

“I…” Will spluttered, like a fish gasping for water. “I can’t.” At least, he couldn’t without sounding insane. Because how did you explain a time machine that’s bigger on the inside, an alien that was probably older than human civilization, and another alien who looked exactly like your old crush?”

John’s eyes narrowed. “Is someone forcing you to keep silent?”

“No.” Will immediately answered. “It’s just… You wouldn’t believe me.”

“Oh yeah,” Hopper leaned forward, “Try us.”

“I was… traveling.”

“Traveling?” Cortana repeated. “You vanish off the face of the earth for a week, the rest of us scared shitless, and all you can say is traveling!?”

Hopper whipped around to face her, glaring at her to keep quiet.

“Will… I don’t understand.” Joyce said, teardrops falling. “What happened, what’s so horrible you can’t tell us where you’ve been?”

Will swallowed, sniffling himself, as the sight of his mother. “I told you… you wouldn’t believe me.”

“Will…” Joyce begged. “Please…”

Will’s eyes flickered guiltily to each one of them. He had to think of something. He didn’t want to lie to them outright, pretend everything was hunky-dory when it wasn’t, but… If he told them about the Doctor, they were going to commit him. Time travel was one thing, John and Cortana had experienced that themselves, but to say he was sent back by a living statue to New York in the Great Depression? Then go on to say he helped defeat a living God with a song sung by hundreds of aliens in an asteroid belt? That was too much.

“I’m telling you the truth.” Will swallowed, breathing. “I’ve been traveling, with my…” He did need an excuse for vanishing in the middle of the night. He wouldn’t just up and vanish with anyone. “Girlfriend.”

Their eyes all bugged out. “Girlfriend!?”

****

Susan and the Doctor walked down the street, hot on the trail of the missing cat, before the Doctor’s phone began to ring.

The Time Lord glanced around, before pulling it out of his pockets, answering it. “Yello!”

 _“Doctor,”_ Will whispered back, _“Put Susan on the phone now, please.”_

The Doctor blinked. “Why do you need her?”

_“I’ll explain later, hurry!”_

The Doctor glanced over to Susan, who looked over at him just as confused, before he passed the phone off to her.

“Hello?” Susan spoke, the moment the device graced her hands.

_“Quick emergency, I need you to be my girlfriend!”_

Susan rubbed her head, a confused smile breaking out. “Thanks, I’m flattered! I think. I mean, this is all very sudden, and we just met only a few days ago, but okay!”

 _“No, not my actual girlfriend!”_ Will whispered back, evidently trying to stay unheard by someone.

“Oh.” Susan’s face fell. “That was quick. What’d I do?”

_“Nothing, but I need someone to be my girlfriend, quick!”_

Susan glanced at the Doctor, the Time Lord staring at her just as confused. “Well, I hope you’re nicer to the next girl that comes along!”

“ _Just listen!”_ Will hissed. _“I’ve been missing for a week, everyone wants to know where I’ve been, so… I may have, you know… Told them you were my girlfriend.”_

“Ah.” Susan blinked. “Well, I am a bit miffed you didn’t _consult_ me on this first, but okay.”

 _“You’ll do it?”_ Will asked hopefully.

“…I guess.”

 _“Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you_!” Will replied. _“Quick, get to my house. But don’t bring the… you know. You know what, just try to look as normal as possible. Oh, I’ve got to go,”_ He spoke away from the phone, as though looking in someone’s direction, _“Love you!”_ He said, raising his voice for the benefit of whoever was spying on him. _“Bye!”_ The line went dead.

“Father?” Susan sighed, passing the phone back to the Doctor.

“Yeah?”

“Why is it, whenever we bring someone with us, it’s always the ones who are terrible at lying?”

****

“Will, this is getting ridiculous.” Hopper stated angrily, crossing his arms. “We don’t have time to play around. Tell us what really happened. And don’t try to feed us that ‘girlfriend’ bullshit again.”

“It’s the truth!” Will insisted, knowing full well he was lying. “They’re on their way, trust me!” A knock came on the door. “That’s probably them now!”

Joyce glanced at Hopper, and the Police Chief nodded, the woman going to open the door.

“Ah, you must be Joyce Byers!” The Doctor beamed the moment the door opened. Will frowned, as he noticed the Time Lord wasn’t wearing his usual clothing. Instead, he was wearing a tweed blazer, light blue button-up shirt, and red bow tie.

John, Cortana, and El’s eyebrows knit together, like the three were recognizing something about him, before disregarding it.

“You’re the one who took my son?” Joyce demanded furiously.

“Well, from a certain perspective, I suppose you could phrase it that way, yes.”

A resounding crack, like a gunshot, rang throughout the house as Joyce’s palm collided with the Doctor’s face.

“Ow!” The Doctor grunted as he was sent spinning into the wall.

Susan looked at the Doctor with a sympathetic grimace, before turning back to face the woman. “Hi… I’m Susan.”

Joyce looked at her suspiciously. “Joyce.”

Hopper approached the door, frowning seriously. “I’m Jim Hopper, Chief of Hawkins PD. Mind if I ask you two a couple of questions?”

Susan and the Doctor glanced at each other. “We don’t have a choice, do we?”

****

“What took you guys so long!?” Will whispered to Susan, as Hopper dressed down the Doctor, rambling on about kidnappings and ages of consent and whatnot.

“We had to stop off back by the-“ Susan glanced into the living room, to the three sitting on the couch. “Home.”

“Why are you doing that?” Will asked.

“Doing what?” Susan replied.

“Glancing at them and whispering.” Will elaborated.

“Well,” Susan shifted, “We kind of ran into them, a long time ago. Which, incidentally, leads back into your question from earlier. We had to pick up some perception filters.”

“Perception what?”

“They stop them from noticing any details about our faces.” Susan elaborated. “You did notice none of them commented on my resemblance to El?”

“I… did notice that, yeah.” Will said. “But-“

Hopper came walking into the kitchen, pushing the Doctor ahead of him, forcing the Time Lord to sit down in a chair. “Don’t move.” He commanded. “You,” He pointed to Susan. “Your turn.”

As Hopper left, Susan walking behind, the Doctor began to rub his face.

“Hopper rough you up?” Will asked.

“Just the mothers.” The Doctor answered. “It’s always the mothers…” He grumbled.

“I’ve been missing for a week.” Will said in their defense.

The Doctor winced. “Yeah… sorry ‘bout that.” The Doctor glanced over to him. “You don’t seem too choked up about it.”

Will looked down, giving a shrug in response. “It was a risk,and I knew it. Susan told me your piloting skills aren’t always the best. Besides, it was a week for us on the TARDIS, too. God only knows if we'd shown up after a year.”

“Heh heh, yeah..” The Doctor chuckled awkwardly. “But in any case, blame the TARDIS… she likes to do her own thing, most times.”

Will huffed. “You changed your clothes.” He noted.

“I did.” The Doctor confirmed. “Susan and I, we kind of ran into the three in there a while back. I could stop them from noticing my face, but I wasn’t sure how well the clothes would fare.”

“Well, I like it.” Will said. “It’s a good look for you.”

“…It is, isn’t it?” The Doctor looked into the glass nearby, straightening his bow tie, the reflection mimicking his movements. He hadn’t worn that ensemble since… New York, with Amy and Rory.

“Alright,” Hopper came striding back in, allowing Susan to move into the room, “Now… I’m going to give you three one last chance. What happened during the past week?”

The three TARDIS travelers looked at each other.

“Chief Hopper, if I may?” The Doctor stood up, bracing himself on his cane. He looked towards the outside, able to talk where they wouldn’t be heard. Hopper shot a look to the rest of the people in the room, before stepping outside with the Doctor, the door shutting behind them.

“Will,” His mother leaned forward. “Please… Just tell us the truth.”

Will swallowed. “I am.”

John looked like he was about to say something, before the Doctor and Hopper came striding back in, a sour look on the police chief’s face.

“Alright, you two,” He directed to the Doctor and Susan, “Get out of here.”

“What!?” Joyce demanded.

“You’re letting them go!?” Cortana bellowed.

“It’s out of my hands.” Hopper responded with a resigned shrug. He looked to everyone. “Everyone that doesn’t live here, it’s probably a good idea to head home.

Will and Susan glanced at each other. Just what had the Doctor said?

****

“I can’t believe you!” Joyce directed to Hopper, as Cortana, John, and El disappeared into the distance, leaving only her, Will, Jonathan, and the police chief behind.

Hopper himself was making the trek back to his vehicle, Joyce following behind him. “That man kidnaps my son, and you just _let_ him go!?”

“I didn’t have a choice, alright!?” Hopper whipped around to face her. “That guy’s serious.”

“How?” Joyce demanded.

Hopper sighed, wiping at his face. “He works for Owens. They needed Will to deal with a problem, they didn’t have time to go through us, so they tapped him directly.”

Joyce began to see red. “I’m going to beat the tar outta him!”

“No.” Hopper stated, grabbing onto her shoulders. “You’re going to go home, send Will to school tomorrow, and pretend like this never happened.”

“Bu-but,” Joyce stuttered, “How do we know he was telling the truth? And what about that girl with him? Is she even with him willingly?”

“Joyce,” Hopper began, “Let me deal with it.” He let go, and climbed into his Blazer, pulling away.

Joyce sighed. It was just one headache after another.

****

“So…” Jonathan began, standing over the stove. Hopper’s grilling of them took the better part of the day, and now, it was fast approaching suppertime. “Girlfriend.”

“Yeah.” Will simply replied.

Jonathan slowly nodded. “How’d that happen?”

“It’s…” Will stammered. “A long story.”

“She must be pretty special, though.” Jonathan commented. “For you to run off with her and her dad in the middle of the night.”

“Oh…” Will smiled, “You have no idea.”


	16. First Class, Part One

“Are you sure we should be doing this?” A teenager peeked his head around the corner, looking down the darkened hallways of Hawkins High School warily. This one was known as Anthony, a promising football athlete who’s physical abilities were likely enough to earn him a scholarship, but whose intellectual ones probably left something to be desired.

“Yeah,” His girlfriend, a cheerleader named Michelle, replied, leading him down the dark hallways. “I do this all the time.”

“We’re gonna get caught!”

“No we’re not.” Michelle replied. “All we need to do, is get into the main office, switch out the papers, and we’ll be good to go!”

The two students walked towards the front office, stopping in their tracks upon seeing the ethereal green glow emanating from the room.

“What the hell?” Anthony breathed, walking to open the door.

“Tony, don’t.” Michelle tried to stop him.

“What are you two doing in here?” A voice from behind them demanded, the two students whipping around to face him.

“O-oh, Principal Stoker.” Anthony stuttered, upon seeing the tall, goateed man in a neatly pressed suit. “You and the others are supposed to be gone.”

“I believe I am well within my rights as Principal of this school to be on the premises after hours.” Stoker defended. “You, however, are not. Explain yourselves.”

“Well, we were walking past,” Michelle began, “And we saw the glowing coming from the front office. We thought maybe a fire had started, so…”

“I see no such glow.” The Principal retorted.

“Are you blind? Look!” Anthony insisted, moving to allow Stoker a direct line of sight.

Stoker crossed his arms. “You are attempting to distract me.”

“No, we-“ Anthony pushed the office doors open, stopping in his tracks upon seeing the source of the glow. “What in the goddamn-?” He cut himself off with a scream, falling to the floor, as his body seemed to be compressed down by an invisible force.

“Tony!” Michelle screamed in horror.

“My apologies.” Stoker stated, holding a device that looked rather like a futuristic flashlight trained in her direction. “I offered you a way out. You should’ve taken it.”

“W-wait!” Michelle stuttered, as Stoker closed the remaining distance “I-I won’t tell anyone what happened, I swear! Just let me live!”

“Your death is regrettable.” Stoker replied. “But necessary.” He pulled the trigger, and Michelle screamed as she too, was crushed.

Stoker straightened his tie, before retrieving the two corpses from the floor. He shot a look to the source of the glow, and put his weapon back in his suit pocket, continuing about his business.

****

Lucas, Mike, Dustin, and Max stood out in front of the high school, watching the parking lot intently, keeping an eye out for Will.

“I just can’t believe it.” Mike grumbled. “He ups and vanishes for a week, doesn’t tell any of us, and all he can say is he was with his girlfriend?”

“What bullshit.” Dustin stated.

“Yeah.” Lucas agreed.

“Well, _I_ think it was sweet.” Max commented. “It was like he just couldn’t help himself.”

Mike huffed. “Of course you would.” His eyes glided over the parking lot, landing on a man wearing a bow tie, using a cane to walk. A girl about Mike’s age was walking next to him, looking around as they proceeded to the front entrance. “Who’s that?”

“Dunno.” Lucas answered, crossing his arms. “I’ve never seen them before.”

Dustin frowned. “A bow tie? Who the hell dresses like that?”

“I dunno.” Max tilted her head. “But his hair looks like he’s ripped off Steve’s.”

The bow tie man and the girl at his side proceeded into the school, just as Joyce rolled up in her Pinto, Will sitting in the passenger seat.

“Okay,” She turned to him, “Anything happens, you call straight away, okay?”

Will nodded, as he unfastened his seatbelt.

“And when school lets out, come straight home.” She continued.

“Okay, mom.” Will replied, still trying to get out.

“And have a good day!” She directed.

Will returned it with a smile, shutting the door, before turning to face the building. He nervously swallowed, as he walked up.

“Hey, hey!” Dustin said as Will approached. “My man!”

“Where the hell have you been, Will?” Mike asked first.

Will rolled his eyes, as he looked at the class schedule he was given, walking into the building first. “I’m gonna tell you what I told my mom; with my girlfriend and her dad, traveling.”

“Traveling where?” Max inquired politely. “You see anything… romantic?”

Will didn’t pick up on the real question Max was presenting. “Well, we went to New York first. And then we went to this bazaar in… Egypt.”

Lucas huffed.

“What was that for?” Will asked.

“Oh, nothing.” Lucas replied. “She’s real. Totally, totally, real.”

Will rolled his eyes, shaking his head. “Come on, we need to get to first period.”

“Why didn’t you tell us?” Mike questioned as they moved towards the classroom.

Will glanced at him with a shrug. “It was an impulse decision.”

“Will, when have you _ever_ made an impulse decision?”

Will glanced back at Mike. “You know… plenty of times.” He replied, as they entered the classroom for first period.

“You should’ve cleared it with us! Cleared _her_ with us.” Mike stated.

Will looked back at Mike, as they took the empty seats. “Oh, so I have to run the company I keep by you now?”

“Th-that’s not what I meant!” Mike stammered, earning exasperated looks from the other three with them.

“No,” Will conceded, “But that’s what came out.”

“Both of you,” Lucas hissed, “Quiet down. We’re getting looks.”

Mike and Will glanced back, the words dying in both their mouths, shifting in their seats ads the clock struck time.

The door at the front of the class opened, and two people came striding in, Will freezing in place as he recognized them.

Susan smiled at Will, taking the empty seat next to him.

“Ah, good morning class!” The Doctor beamed, looking over the teenagers assembled. “Are we sitting comfortably?”

“Um…” One of the girls at the very front raised her hand. “Who are you? And where’s Mr. Donaldson?”

“I’m glad you asked!” The Doctor pointed. “Donaldson won the lottery!”

Mike blinked. “Indiana doesn’t have a lottery!”

“I know!” The Doctor replied, “Amazing, isn’t it? Anyway,” The Doctor twirled his cane, spinning around to face the whiteboard, “I’m John Smith, but you can call me the Doctor.” He wrote his name down on the whiteboard, as Will put his face in his hands.

This wasn’t happening. The weird, time-traveling alien that was older than Will’s entire family combined wasn’t in his school, acting like he owned the place.

“Will,” Susan leaned over, whispering, “What’s wrong?”

Will looked over to her. “What are you two doing here!?” He hissed under his breath.

“Long story,” Susan replied, “I’ll tell you at lunch.”

“Sorry, Will,” Max leaned in curiously, “Who is this?”

“This is Susan,” Will stammered.

Susan smiled pleasantly. “I’m his girlfriend.”

Lucas, Dustin, and Mike gaped, evidently having not bought a word of what Will had fed them.

“His girlfriend?” Dustin repeated.

“The one he ran away with for the week?” Lucas continued.

“Yeah.” Susan smiled. “You must be… Lucas.” She guessed correctly, “Dustin.” She turned to the curly-haired boy, “Max.” She directed to the redhead, “And Mike.” She smiled. “He’s told me so much about all of you.”

“Yeah?” Mike huffed. “Well, he hasn’t mentioned you.”

“Ahem!” The Doctor coughed at the front. “May I have your attention, please?” He rhetorically asked. “I mean, I try to keep away from being boring, but come on, I only just started!”

“Sorry.” The group sheepishly slunk down in their seats.

“Thank you, now…” The Doctor began thinking. “Where were we… Ah, four-dimensional engineering!” At the blank looks the class offered him, he sighed. “Too much?”

****

“Dude, why didn’t you tell us you had a girlfriend!?” Dustin demanded as the party moved through the cafeteria, lunch in hand.

Will shrugged. “It just… didn’t come up.”

“Where’d you meet her?” Mike grilled. “When did you meet her? Who even _is_ she!?”

Will stopped, seeing Susan and the Doctor sitting at a table. Susan waved Will over, and he turned to the others. “It’s a long story, I’ll tell you guys later.” He told them. “For now, I’ll see you guys in class.” He told them, moving to go sit with the two Time Lords.

Mike practically seethed. “This is bullshit.”

Lucas glanced at him. “Jealous, much?”

“No!” Mike instantly responded. “I just think Will made a colossal mistake! He ran off for a week with a girl he told us nothing about, and doesn’t want to say what happened, how is that not concerning the rest of you!?”

Max shrugged. “He’s not obligated to tell us everything.” She said. “Now, let’s sit down, before a blood vessel in your head explodes.”

Mike shook his head, shooting a look to the table with the two unfamiliar people, before going to join the remainder of the party.

****

“What are you two doing!?” Will quietly hissed, the moment his tray hit the table.

The Doctor blinked, as he munched on a French fry. Oh, wait, he was British. Chips, then. “Well, hello to you too, Will.”

“This is my school!” Will began, “What are you doing at my school!?”

The Doctor huffed. “Blame Susan, it was her idea.” He brushed off, taking down another fried chunk of potato. “Mmm, these are good…”

Will whipped around to her. “Was it!?”

“It was.” She confirmed. “But what’s the big deal?”

“The big deal?” Will repeated. “The big deal is that this is my school, in my town, where the only time anything alien ever happens is when the government screws something up!”

“Which is weird how no one else outside you and your group of friends seem to notice it.” Susan commented.

“Guys, come on!” Will growled. “What are you doing!?”

The Doctor pointed across the cafeteria. “See him?”

Will turned around. “Which one?” He asked, looking at the crowd of people in that direction.

“The Sacha Dhawan looking fella.”

Will blinked. “Who?”

The Doctor let out a frustrated groan. “Black suit, blue tie, beard.”

“Oh, yeah, I see him.” Will confirmed, watching the man go about his lunch. “Who’s he?”

“James Stoker.” The Doctor outlined. “The current Principal in charge. Seems a couple of days ago, the Principal that should’ve been in charge met with an ‘accident,’ then he shows up. The moment he does, the school drops from being one of the lowest-rated in the country to the highest.”

Will shrugged. “So, he’s fiddling with the test scores a little bit, so what? Happens all the time.”

“At the same time he showed up, so did she.” Susan pointed across the room to a dark-haired woman who looked rather like a demented Mary Poppins. “The maths teacher, C.B. Wainwright. The people in her class are all complaining about the same things. Headaches, memory loss, blackouts.”

“And last night,” The Doctor continued gravely, “Two of her students snuck inside, heading towards Stoker’s office, before they went missing.”

Will looked back in the direction of Stoker warily. “Okay, that is a little suspicious…” He turned back to Susan and the Doctor. “How’d you guys figure all this out?”

“We were walking back to the TARDIS last night when we heard the screams.” Susan explained. “We got inside too late to help them, but we were able to get one of the tapes.”

“Fat lot of good it did.” The Doctor commented. “It was almost completely ruined, we were only able to salvage a five-second loop.”

Susan nodded. “Anyway, we did some digging. Started seeing everything that didn’t add up. The mysterious arrivals, the test scores, the weird symptoms, so we decided to do deep cover, and here we are.”

Will snorted. “Deep cover? Have you _seen_ you?”

“Hey, we’re great at going undercover!” The Doctor defended.

Susan snorted. “Well, me at least.” She turned to Will. “He landed in the Oval Office, stood there in broad daylight writing down what the President was writing, and then made a huge racket after he got caught. Whereas I,” She placed a hand over her chest, “Am a trained actress.”

Will blinked. “Really?”

“Yep!” Susan confirmed. “Me and a girl I know switched places for a few days as a joke, and nobody noticed, not even him!” She laughed, pointing to the Doctor.

“I did too!” The Doctor retorted.

“Sure, _after_ we told you!”

The Doctor crossed his arms, grumbling. “It’s not my fault the two of you look and sound exactly the same. And!” He pointed, “It was a one-time occurrence! I’m sure if it happened again, I would know.”

Susan tilted her head innocently. “Who said it was a one-time thing? For all you know, the real Susan could be in front of a camera filming something.”

The Doctor uncrossed his arms, paling. “What?”

Susan burst out laughing. “I’m kidding!” It died down, and she wiped her face. “If she and I switched out again, do you really think I’d be that blatant?”

“…You mean her, right?”

“Oh, yeah, her, right.” Susan scratched her head and shrugged noncommittally. The bell overhead began to ring, signaling time to return to class.

“Alright, you two.” The Doctor pushed himself up. “Wainwright’s class should be the next one up. Pay attention, make a note of anything happening.” He outlined, moving to dispose of his tray.

“What are you going to do?” Will asked.

“I’ll keep an eye on things behind the scenes.” He replied. “Get to class!” He commanded, running back to his classroom.

Susan and Will sighed, looking at each other. “So, maths?” She asked.

Will groaned. “Please don’t let it be algebra.”


	17. First Class, Part Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This one's either going to make a lot of people happy, or a lot of people mad.
> 
> Probably both.

“Each one of you, take one, and pass the stack around.” Wainwright commanded, sitting a stack of worksheets on the desk at the front, the students doing as they were commanded.

“That woman,” Susan whispered to Will, watching intently as Wainwright, stood at the front of the room. “She seems familiar.”

“You recognize her from somewhere?” Will asked.

Susan’s eyes narrowed. “I think so… but I can’t place my finger on it.”

“Now,” Wainwright began, once the papers were distributed, “I want each of you to complete the worksheet before the end of this period. You may not use calculators, but you may work together to come to the solutions.” She glanced around. “You may begin.”

Mike huffed, leaning over to Will. “Stick up her ass, much?”

“Yeah, she’s no Miss Shepard.” Will agreed.

“Miss who?” Susan asked.

“Our math teacher in middle school.” Will answered. “The one woman who sought out to make math fun, and actually succeeded.”

Mike snorted fondly. “There was this one time, she taught us how to make projections from graphs, and the data she’d given us was states where marijuana was legal-“

“Hypothetically, of course,” Will amended.

“Yeah, anyway, part of it was also making everything looks nice cause, you know, if you have to make graphs and stuff for work, it needs to look good and be labeled.” Mike rambled, as he worked to solve the problems on the paper. “Anyway, the day to turn the assignment in comes, and Dustin walks in, the data on his is labeled-“

“States with Free Weed!” Will laughed.

“Quiet down!” Wainwright ordered. “There are other people in here trying to work!”

Will shrunk down in his seat.

“Ah…” Mike remembered fondly, filling out his worksheet. His brow furrowed in confusion at the problems on the worksheet, seemingly cobbled together out of nowhere, as if whoever designed the thing picked the problems at random by throwing darts.

“Having trouble?” Susan inquired.

Mike glanced back at her. “No.” He bristled.

Susan held up her hands defensively. “Just trying to help.”

“I don’t need it.” Mike resolved.

“This worksheet looks like it’s been cobbled together randomly.” Will muttered. He turned around, to Lucas. “How’s yours going?”

Lucas shrugged. “I’m just trying to feel my way through it.”

“What about you guys?” He asked Max and Dustin.

“Dude, I don’t recognize half the shit on this thing.” Dustin replied.

“These problems, they’re almost like…” Susan furrowed her eyebrows. Her eyes widened, and she turned to Will. “How likely is it she’s going to ask for this back?”

“Pretty likely.” Lucas answered for him. “Why?”

“No reason.” Susan answered. Glancing at Wainwright to make sure the woman wasn’t watching, Susan scrawled something out on a tiny scrap of paper, passing it to Will.

Will unfurled the note.

_‘Find me and Doctor at end of school.’_

Will’s eyebrows knit together in confusion and he looked to Susan. She nodded vehemently, and Will turned back to his worksheet, wondering just what had gotten into her.

****

Once school had gotten out, Will walked across the parking lot towards his mom’s car, glancing around to see if he could find Susan and the Doctor.

He opened the door and peeked inside, a polite smile on his mom’s face.

“Hey, hon.” Joyce greeted. “How’d it go?”

“Good.” Will answered, not getting in. “Listen, uh… Me and the guys have this assignment we have to work on, so I was wondering if I could head over to Mike’s and do it there?”

“Sure.” She granted after a moment’s thought. “I can drop you off.”

“Actually, I thought I’d catch a ride with one of them.” Will pointed to his friends over at the bike rack. “You know, that way we could talk about it on the way there.”

Joyce thinned her lips. “Fine. But,” She pointed, “You call me the second you get there.”

“I will.” Will smiled. “Thanks, mom!”

“Love you!” She called as he shut the door. Joyce sighed, and flopped down against the wheel. She put the car into gear, and pulled away, leaving Will behind.

“Guys.” Will huffed, running over to them, “Guys, listen, I need a favor.”

The four glanced at each other. “What?”

“I told my mom we were going over to Mike’s for a project.” Will outlined. “Mike, if she calls, could you please, please cover for me?”

“What? No!” Mike recoiled. “I’m not lying to your mom!”

“You lie to your mom all the time!” Will retorted. “Susan wants me to come over, and if I told my mom the truth, she would’ve said no. Please, Mike.”

“You’re gonna ditch us, just like that!?” Mike demanded. “To go swap spit with a girl?”

Will blinked, recoiling, before he shrugged. “Says the guy who did that the entire summer.”

Mike looked to the rest of the group pleadingly. Dustin held up his hands, like he wasn’t taking part in the conversation. Mike turned to Lucas.

Lucas shrugged in defeat. “He has a point there.”

“Max!” Mike desperately turned to her.

She shrugged awkwardly. “We’ve covered for you when you went to visit El.”

Mike groaned, rubbing his face as he conceded defeat. “Whatever. Fine.”

“Thanks, Mike!” Will looked around, eyes landing on Susan and the Doctor standing at the front entrance, the two waving for him to come over. “I owe you one!” He said, sprinting off to join the two Time Lords.

Mike sighed. “You guys are terrible.”

****

Several hours passed, as night slowly descended on Hawkins. Upon calling his mom with the Doctor’s phone, the three time travelers hid in a supply closed, waiting for everyone to clear out.

The Doctor peeked his head out first, head darting in both directions down the hallway, before he stepped out fully, motioning for Will and Susan to follow.

“Ooh, school after dark, very creepy.” Susan remarked with a low whisper, poking Will teasingly, as they slowly moved down the hallway.

“Yeah.” Will agreed. “You know, when I was a kid, I used to think the teachers used to live here.”

Susan looked to him inquisitively. “Really?”

Will brushed embarrassedly, shrugging. “I mean, there had to have been a reason why the Teachers’ Lounge was off-limits, right?”

Susan huffed. “If it’s anything like Time Lord schools, it’s so they can summon dark gods from the dawn of time without the students getting in the way.”

Will double-took. “What?”

“J.K Rowling had to base her books on something.”

Will blinked in confusion. “I don’t know who that is.”

Susan gaped. “You don’t!? That’s it, as soon as we get all this sorted out, you’re coming back to the TARDIS for a Harry Potter marathon!”

The Doctor looked back to her reproachfully, as they turned a corner. “Really? You’d rather watch the movies?”

“The books are excellent prose, but the movies are an _experience_.” Susan retorted. “Like the Lord of the Rings.”

Will’s head immediately perked up. “There are movies based on Lord of the Rings?” He asked hopefully.

Susan grinned, throwing an arm around Will’s shoulders. “Okay, that Harry Potter marathon is now a ‘the greatest films of the late 20th and early 21st centuries’ marathon.”

“What should we start him off with?” The Doctor asked as he pushed the door to Wainwright’s classroom open. “Titanic? The Infinity Saga? Or maybe-ooh…” He cut himself off, finding the stack of turned-in worksheets on the desk. “Come here, you scrumptious little beauties…”

“Does he normally do that?” Will asked, pointing at the Doctor questioningly, as the Time Lord looked through the sheets.

Susan shrugged. “Sometimes. Just smile and nod.” She advised, turning to look at the Doctor. “What is it?”

The Doctor held up one of the papers, shining the sonic screwdriver on the page like a flashlight. “Calculations.”

Will snorted quietly. “Well, yeah, they’re worksheets. That’s what you do with them.”

“No, no,” The Doctor replied. “Look at them. Every single one of them is different, unique.” The Doctor flipped through them.

“Okay.” Will blinked. “So, they’d been shuffled up to make sure people don’t cheat.”

“Maybe, but if you’re going to go through all the trouble of doing that,” The Doctor pointed, “Why repeat some problems? Look,” He pointed. “It’s random, but there’s a pattern to it. An order. There’s something here I’m missing, something glaring me right in the face…”

“It looks similar to some forms of Gallifreyan mathematics.” Susan commented to herself, looking at the page, causing the Doctor to whip around to face her. “What?”

“No, no, you’re right!” The Doctor pointed. “Look, that one used to trip me up all the time back in the Academy.” He pointed.

“I mean, math is math,” Will shrugged, “What makes a repeat problem so special? It’s just coincidence.”

“No, not coincidence!” The Doctor retorted. “This is Blinovitch’s Theorem!”

“A theorem?” Will repeated. “You’re getting tripped up over a theorem?”

“Will, listen,” Susan instructed. “Blinovitch’s Theorem is the equation used to determine the release of energy when a temporally-displaced version of someone encounters themselves. Aaron Blinovitch, a member of Faction Paradox, came up with it.”

“Alright.” Will said. “I still don’t understand.”

“Will, Susan and I have said before, we’re not native to this reality.” The Doctor explained. “Neither is Blinovitch. As far as this reality is concerned, he’s completely fictional, and so is the Faction.”

Will blinked. “Okay.”

“So, why is his mathematical theorem, one that he only came up with after meeting himself during a mission for the Faction, on a worksheet in a high school classroom, in a universe where he never existed?” Susan questioned.

A door down the hallway suddenly clanged.

“Damn.” The Doctor cursed, folding the worksheet up, tucking it in his jacket. “Hide!” He ordered, ducking down under one of the darkened desks first.

Susan and Will shortly followed, hiding under their own desks, as the classroom’s door opened, Wainwright entering holding another stack of papers. She put the stack that was on top of her desk on top of the other stack, before turning on her heel, leaving like she was on a mission.

“Stay here,” The Doctor ordered Susan and Will, climbing out from under the desk, stealthily following Wainwright down the dark hallways. The Doctor followed her through the winding halls, keeping his distance, but not so far as to lose track of her, as she approached the front office.

Wainwright entered the office with the stack, and the Doctor stayed behind, choosing to peek through the window, as opposed to following her inside.

Wainwright walked over to a filing cabinet with the papers, and for a moment, the Doctor felt like a right plonker. It was a school, what else was she going to do with the papers?

After a moment, however, the Doctor’s suspicions were validated, as every drawer of the filing cabinet opened simultaneously, bathing the room in a green glow.

It was a TARDIS.

“So, Doctor, we meet again at last.” The voice of Stoker emanated from behind the Time Lord.

The Doctor groaned internally, turning around. “Principal Stoker. Lovely toy you have there.” He commented, referring to the pistol-like weapon in his hands.

“Oh, it isn’t a toy.” Stoker replied, “Or maybe it is? It’s quite a lot of fun to use, you know. The screams are what make it so fun.”

The Doctor narrowed his eyes. Stoker was very obviously trying to push his buttons. The Doctor focused, and reached out mentally, trying to feel.

His mind brushed up against another like his own, and immediately, his own shields snapped up.

“You’re a Time Lord.” The Doctor recognized. He looked around the school. “What’s a Time Lord doing in a place like this? I mean, the benefits can’t be that great.”

Stoker chuckled, gesturing to the Doctor. “They brought you here, didn’t they?”

“Actually, I came here because two students disappeared here last night.” The Doctor corrected, placing his hands behind his back. “You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that, would you?”

“Hmm… No.” Stoker replied. “Wait!” He suddenly held up a finger, “Actually, yes!” He giggled. “You’ll have to forgive me, the memory’s been a bit ‘eh,’ you know how it is.” The bearded man continued chuckling minutely, as he reached into his breast pocket, pulling out a matchbox.

“I don’t smoke.” The Doctor stated, getting a horrible sinking feeling in his stomach.

“No? Well, they certainly did…” Stoker shook the matchbox, allowing a little box to slip out of the sleeve.

Two tiny bodies, like miniatures, lay immobile in the box.

“Oh, look at your face!” Stoker giggled, pointing at the Doctor mockingly. “In case I need to spell it out for you, these,” He shook the little box for emphasis, “Are the two little snots who thought they could spy on us. You recognize this, Doctor, I know.”

“No…” The Doctor took a step back. “No, no! No way in Hell!” He insisted.

“Oh, you’re a clever man, Doctor, I know you can do this.” Stoker said, egging the Doctor on like a gameshow host.

“No!” The Doctor repeated. “I refuse to believe it!”

“Come on, Doctor, you’re almost there.” Stoker taunted, keeping the weapon trained on the Doctor. “Would you like a hint? My name. James Stoker, I chose it well… Very good alias. Well, more of an anagram, really.”

“Anagram, no, no.” The Doctor repeated shaking his head.

“You can do this, Doctor, all you have to do is rearrange a few letters.” Stoker replied. “What’s it come out to?”

“Nope, not doing it!”

“Come on, let me have my fun.” Stoker said. “What is it?”

The Doctor swallowed nervously. “Master’s Joke.”

“Now… Say my name.” ‘Stoker’ pushed.

The Doctor took a step back.

“Say it.” The bearded man commanded.

The Doctor stared at him. “You can’t be.” He insisted.

“I can, and I very much am.” The Doctor’s old foe retorted. “Do you really not recognize your best enemy?”

“I do.” The Doctor growled in response.

“Then say. My. Name.”

The Doctor gulped. “Master.”

The Master giggled, jumping up and down, clapping his hands. “Oh! Ladies and gentlemen, the moment we’ve all been waiting for! So satisfying!”

“No, no!” The Doctor pointed furiously. “You died, I watched you die! You were pulled back into the Time War, no one could’ve survived that!”

“Oh, Doctor, how little you know.” The Master taunted. “I’ve got to say, knocking about on my own for the past few centuries were fun, but this…!” He cackled, descending into wheezing. “Even better! I thought I had it good with the blonde, but a whole new Doctor to play with… Why didn’t anyone tell me it was my birthday?”

“Blonde!?” The Doctor demanded, inching forward.

“Oh, you don’t know?” The Master rhetorically asked. “Yes, well, it’s a funny story, actually… You’re not the real Doctor!”

The Doctor clenched his fists, taking another step.

“Ah, ah!” The Master held up his TCE in the Doctor’s direction. “Yeah, see…” The Master wiped his lips. “You’re a duplicate! If I had to guess, you broke off from the real Doctor when his TARDIS ran into a transdimensional scission… A little bit before he ‘retired’ to Victorian England?” He chuckled again. “Or did you think you suddenly ended up in a whole new universe for no good reason?”

“I had my suspicions.” The Doctor confirmed. “It’s why I haven’t made a big fuss about trying to get back home.”

“Oh, did you!?” The Master rhetorically asked. “Well, it’ll please you to know that the Doctor, my Doctor, the _real_ Doctor, is still alive, knocking about! Oh, and she’s serving hard time in a maximum-security prison!”

“Hard time!?” The Doctor repeated. “What the hell did she-I-we do!?”

“Oh, lots of things.” The Master replied. “You know, finding out she was the Timeless Child, she decided to blow up Gallifrey again with me on it, the Judoon picked her up on earth, and hauled her away.”

“Gallifrey!?” The Doctor repeated.

“Oh, yeah, it came back.” The Master informed him. “And then it got blown up again. My fault. Whoopsie!”

“Hold on, shut up!” The Doctor bellowed, clutching his head. “She blew up Gallifrey… But she isn’t even the Timeless Child!”

“Nope!” The Master concurred with a grin. “But it’s not like she knew that, did she? The Matrix is… really easy to tamper with. I thought you would’ve learned your lesson during that business with the Valeyard, but nope! She ate it all right up! What’d they feed you when you were a kid, gullible soup?”

“You tricked her into destroying Gallifrey… ” The Doctor furiously seethed. “Over a lie!? For what!?”

“Well, I was going through this ‘good’ phase.” The Master rolled his eyes. “Needed to detox afterward.”

The Doctor saw red, as he grabbed onto the Master by his lapels, pinning him against the wall. “You just told me my homeworld survived only to be destroyed again, **_don’t-”_** The Doctor roared, **_“Joke with me!”_**

“Joke, who said it was a joke?” The Master replied. “If I see that version of myself again, I’m going to shoot her. Oh, wait, I did!” He laughed. “Funny how these things work out!”

The Doctor scowled. “What’s your game here? What are you planning?” He demanded, lowering his voice.

“Well, it wouldn’t be fun if I just told you, would it?” The Master chuckled. “Like you said, it’s a game. I have to make a plan, you have to stop me!” He grinned. “Come on… I’ll even give you a head start. Or is it catch-up, since I was here first?”

The Doctor narrowed his eyes, slowly releasing the Master. “I _will_ find out what you’re planning, and when I do, it’s going to stop.”

“Oh…” The Master smiled. “Chills, literal chills. Lovely woman the original Doctor, but she can’t do the frowny face half as well. See you around, Doctor…”

“Oh, you’ll be seeing me.” The Doctor growled, as he turned on his heel, proceeding back down the hallway.

The Master grinned. “May the best Time Lord win.”


	18. First Class, Part Three

“This is bad, bad, bad, bad!” The Doctor motor mouthed as he, Susan, and Will strode purposefully into the TARDIS. “No, bad doesn’t even begin to describe the level of sheer _bad_ this is!”

“Doctor, I don’t understand.” Will leveled as he shut the door behind him. “Who is this ‘Master’ guy?”

“He’s a Time Lord.” The Doctor spun on his heel. “Like me and Susan. My best enemy.”

“He and the Master go back.” Susan explained for Will. “Way back. They were the best of friends during childhood.”

“Best friends?” Will repeated. “Call me naïve, but I find it hard to believe the Doctor could be friends with a guy who killed two people, carried around them around in his pocket, and laughed about it!”

“He was.” Susan nodded. “And they were close… I think, besides me and the Doctor’s wife, he was the only other person he told his name.”

“Oh, well… damn.” Will blinked. “What happened?”

Susan shrugged. “He doesn’t like talking about it.”

“And you know what else I don’t like!? People talking about me like I’m not in the room!”

Susan and Will shrunk slightly, sufficiently chided.

“Sorry.” Susan apologized for both her and Will.

“But I don’t get it,” Will began, “If he’s a Time Lord, like you, why would he come to Hawkins?” He asked. “I mean, the only reason you guys picked me up because you told your past self to.”

“Yeah…” The Doctor’s eyebrows knit together in deep thought. “Come to think of it, there’ve been plenty of things here on your Earth that shouldn’t have been. The Weeping Angel, the Slitheen around the Fourth of July...”

“Different realities, and all that, right?” Will shrugged. “I mean, you were familiar with the aliens on Akhaten.”

“Well,” Susan began, smiling awkwardly, “That’s because we took you into the universe we knock around in most.”

“…Oh.” Will blinked.

“Yeah, but my point is,” The Doctor continued, “All these enemies, my enemies, seem to keep winding up in your town. Why?”

“I mean…” Will stammered. “You’re here.”

“Never mind that, what are we going to do about the Master?” Susan asked.

The Doctor sighed, rubbing his face frustratedly. “I’m going to pour over this,” He pulled out the folded-up worksheet, “And see what I can get from it. Tomorrow… We’re going to stop him.”

“Right,” Will nodded. “Good plan… I should probably be getting home.”

“It’s a bit late for that now,” The Doctor glanced at his watch, “Your room is still where it was.”

Will nodded, and headed off in that direction, already feeling tired as hell.

The Doctor sighed, as Susan shot a glance to him, before going off to her own room. The Doctor began pouring over the information in the paper, wondering just what the hell it was for, before he realized something.

The Doctor shot into action immediately, punching the data into the TARDIS databanks.

“So…” The Doctor muttered to himself. “That’s what’s going on…”

****

The next morning, in the Byers household, the inhabitants, sans Will, went about their morning routines, getting ready for work.

Joyce, deciding to check in on her son, grabbed the phone off the hook on the wall, dialing the number for the Wheelers.

_“Hello?”_

“Hey, Karen, it’s me.”

 _“Joyce, hi!”_ The woman responded. “ _How is everything?”_

“I was just calling to check in on Will.” Joyce replied.

_“Will… He’s not here, I don’t think.”_

Joyce frowned. “He went over there with Mike last night.”

“Hm… nope. Just Mike came home.”

“…Alright, thanks.” Joyce scowled, hanging up the phone. She grabbed her car keys, and began storming out to her car, on the warpath.

****

The Doctor, Susan, and Will strode towards Hawkins High on a mission.

“So what’s the plan?” Will asked, backpack slung over his shoulders.

“Get into Wainwright’s classroom, grab every worksheet we can, figure out what their plan is, and stop them.” The Doctor answered.

Susan gave a light snort in response. “More of a general outline than a plan.”

“What’s so important about the worksheets?” Will questioned.

“Last night, we figured they were part of the plan, but we couldn’t figure out what part.” The Doctor began, bracing on his cane. “A short while after you guys went to bed, I figured it out, they’re Block-Transfer functions.”

“Block-Transfer?” Will repeated, “What is that?”

“A whole new branch of mathematics your people haven’t even begun to theorize about.” The Doctor answered.

“The principals are simple, in theory.” Susan picked up from the Doctor. “All matter and energy in the universe is governed by structure, and all structure in the universe is governed by mathematics. By performing block-transfer computations, you could create matter and energy from absolutely nothing, warp reality to suit your desires… With enough time, you could become a living god.”

Will blinked. “…I will never say math is boring ever again.”

The Doctor allowed himself a laugh. “Galileo was right about math being the language of God.” His smile dropped, as they approached the front doors of the building.

“So, all these worksheets, with all those problems…” Will began. “What, are they like pieces of a bigger puzzle?”

The Doctor turned to Will with a look, before it swiftly turned into a grin. “Exactly! Well, more like pieces of an engine, really.” The Doctor turned back, as they climbed up the steps. “On their own, each worksheet is just that. But when you have a room full of people, working together, on exactly the right problems in exactly the right ways, all at the same time…”

“You get reality-warping powers.” Susan finished.

Will frowned, as they pushed into the building. “But why use humans?” He asked. “Why don’t they just use computers?”

“Because, whatever performs the calculations is vulnerable to them.” The Doctor explained. “The calculations themselves would alter the computer’s own nature. But living tissue is different.” He continued. “Living beings are more… Firm. People wouldn’t be as vulnerable to the computations because they’re aware, their consciousness prevents the calculations from altering them so fundamentally.”

“Literally mind over matter.” Susan simplified. “But, nobody’s perfect, so the people in here perform the calculations, and that’s how you get headaches, nausea, blackouts, memory loss, and the time slips.”

“But wouldn’t people notice?” Will questioned. “Everyone having the exact same symptoms?”

“You’d be surprised.” The Doctor replied, as they finally came to an intersection in the hallway. “I mean, everything Susan just described could be explained away by a gas leak…”

“I see your point.” Will blinked. “So, what do we do?”

“I’m going to distract our esteemed ‘Principal.’” The Doctor outlined. “You and Susan had to Wainwright’s classroom and get the rest of those sheets…” He frowned darkly. “And just in case… Be ready to get everyone outta here.”

****

The Doctor pulled the office doors open, glaring in the direction of the Master, as he slowly crossed the floor.

“Doctor,” The Master grinned, sitting in a chair, poking a wall with a pencil. “You’re back so soon… Come to tell me you’ve given up?”

“No.” The Doctor replied, standing in front of the Master’s desk. The filing cabinet that his and Wainwright’s TARDIS was disguised as sat off to the side, watching the scene like a fly on the wall.

“Then…” The Master shrugged slightly, looking at the Doctor. “Why are you back here.”

“Mercy.” The Time Lord answered.

The Master snorted. “You know I don’t have any.”

“It wasn’t a request,” The Doctor stated. His eyes didn’t narrow, his outward expression or body language didn’t change, in fact, he looked the perfect picture of calm. And yet, the temperature in the room dropped twenty degrees with those words. “It was an offer.”

“Oh… Very intense.” The Master replied.

“You think I’m intense now?” The Doctor rhetorically asked, quietly. “You claim to me my best friend, then you’ve got to have heard some of the names that’ve been popping up about me the last couple of eons. The Destroyer of Worlds, the Beast of Trenzalore, the Imp of the Pandorica, the Shadow of the Valeyard. The Oncoming Storm. The Bringer of Darkness.”

The Master scoffed. “Big deal. I earned a lot of spooky names myself.”

“The difference between you and me, is that I earned these from the likes of the Daleks, the Sontarans, the Cybermen.” The Doctor growled. “Monsters from the deepest circles of Hell, and they’re all terrified of me. Now… when was the last time a Dalek begged _you_ for mercy?”

The Master narrowed his eyes as he finally stood up. “You wouldn’t dare.”

“The Doctor wouldn’t dare,” He corrected, “But according to you, she’s stuck in a maximum-security prison, so I’m all you have to make do with.” The Doctor shoved his hands into his pockets. “I gave you more second chances than I could ever count. Let you live, when everyone else said that I was an idiot for letting you go. Nyssa, Adric, Martha… So many people have been hurt because of you, because I let you go over and over again. Not anymore.” The Doctor was practically growling at this point. “The time for games is over. You either stop this, or you’re going to crash and burn with the other hundreds of failed invasion schemes Earth’s been subjected to over the years.”

“That speech…” The Master rubbed at his eyes theatrically. “Was so moving. The way your words flowed, the presence you exuded in the room… Too bad I didn’t listen to a single word of it.”

“…Then you’ve done this to yourself.”


	19. First Class, Part Four

Susan and Will burst into Wainwright’s classroom in a rush. The woman, fortunately, wasn’t there, as Will and Susan sprinted past the students in there, waiting for first period to begin.

“Where are they, where are they…?” Susan muttered, rooting through the drawers. “Got them!”

“Great, let’s get them back to the Doctor.” Will turned on his heel, freezing.

Wainwright stood in the doorway; her head tilted. “What are you two doing here? You’re not part of my class.”

“W-we,” Will stuttered, “Uh…”

“Oh my God, what the hell is that!?” Susan screamed, pointing behind Wainwright.

The woman spun around, and Susan and Will sprinted past her, pushing her aside as they ran into the hallway.

“I can’t believe that worked!” Will said, as Wainwright began to chase them down.

“I told you,” Susan replied. “I took acting classes!”

“Oop, hold on!” Will said, before stopping to pull the fire alarm. “Okay, let’s run!”

****

“You know, Doctor, I’m terribly confused about this plan of yours.” The Master commented, the Doctor still standing menacingly across his office.

“Plan?” The Doctor repeated, shrugging. “Who said I had a plan?”

“Oh, Doctor, you may look like a bumbling idiot, but I know better.”

The Doctor grinned. “That’s right, you do know better.”

****

“Did the Doctor say what he was planning?” Will asked, as they ran along, away from Wainwright.

“Nope!” Susan replied, pulling Will aside as the crowds evacuated due to the fire alarm’s tolling, “But whatever it is, we need to keep these away from her!” Susan gestured back to Wainwright.

Wainwright’s eyes locked on the two, and she began marching towards them, brushing past a moving line of evacuees.

“Come on!” Susan ordered, pulling Will along as she began sprinting towards the other end of the school.

****

A device in the Master’s pocket buzzed, and he pulled it out, looking at the screen with raised eyebrows. “Oh, clever, really clever. I have to give you props, holding your focus long enough to keep me distracted.” He complimented.

“You know me.” The Doctor replied with a mischievous grin.

The Master chuckled. “Yes… I suppose I do.” He picked a piece of lint off his suit. “Do you know why I chose this school? A small-town school, in a universe totally different from mine?”

“I’ll bite.” The Doctor replied. “Why?”

The Master laughed, holding out his arms. “They always say, if you get into a fight, to choose the playing field.”

The Doctor’s eyebrows knit together.

The Master continued. “See, I figured it was only a matter of time before you came along, whichever version it was. So I… rigged the arena, so to speak.”

“Well, if you did that, I hope you don’t mind if I play my own hand.” The Doctor replied. “Do you know what’s right underneath us?” He tapped his cane on the floor twice. “A gas line, the americans do love their gas. And what do you think is going to happen, if say… a sonic screwdriver exciting the molecules of the gas in the piping caused the gas to combust?”

“Well, I would say this whole room goes up in a fireball.” The Master replied. “Answer a question of my own, if you could.” He held out the same device from before. “This is an android control unit, wouldn’t you say?”

“It seems that way, yes.” The Doctor replied.

“Quite,” The Master looked down at the screen, “And it seems to be saying that the android it controls, the lovely Ms. Wainwright, is currently chasing after your two little human pets. What would you think happens if I press the button to put the android into attack mode?”

He pressed the button.

****

Wainwright suddenly stopped, freezing.

“Uh, did she give up?” Will asked, looking at the woman.

Wainwright blinked, mechanisms clicking, as seams in her skin began to glow orange, hissing out air. The android’s eyes narrowed, as her skin peeled away, folding away into her own body, revealing a sculpted metal endoskeleton, with points for obvious weapons sticking out.

“Run!” Susan yelled, pulling Will along, as Wainwright began to attack.

****

The Doctor began to seethe. “Why are you doing this? What’s your game plan?”

The Master chuckled, smiling. “Fun.” He flicked a switch on his desk, an alarm klaxon blaring.

“What did you do?” The Doctor demanded.

“I’ve put the building into lockdown.” The Master answered.

“It’s too late for that, all of the children have escaped.” The Doctor replied.

“All except… two,” The Master turned the screen of the control unit around to face the Doctor, as it showed a feed of Will and Susan running to escape the android as it pursued them. “Now… You can blow up this room with you and I in it, and leave your friends to the mercy of my very cruel killing robot, or…” His eyes flickered over to the door.

The Doctor clenched his fists, shaking. “You’d better run, because when I find you again…”

The Master smiled, bowing slightly. “I look forward to it, old friend.”

The Doctor shot the Master a glare that could’ve melted through solid tungsten, before sprinting out of the office, towards Will and Susan.

The Master laughed, as he stepped into his TARDIS, the filing cabinet it had been disguised as vanishing into oblivion, as the Master fled, victorious.

****

“Door!” Susan shouted, pointing to the glass entryway at the end of the hallway.

Will held his arms out, ready to push up against the door, stopping as it refused to give way.

“It’s locked!” Will struggled to push against it.

“Come on, maybe another’s-“ Susan’s words died in her mouth, as the android turned the corner. No doors to duck into, no way to push past it without dying even faster.

This was it.

“Will… If we die here…” Susan swallowed. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be…” Will stammered, backing into the glass door, it banging as he did so. “I didn’t travel with you guys for long, but… It was fun.”

The door clanged again.

Susan tried to smile, despite their impending death. Seemed the android had a sadistic streak programmed in. “Still trying to work that door?”

“N-no,” Will turned to Susan in confusion, “I thought it was you.”

“But if it’s not you, who-“ Both of their eyes widened, and they turned around.

“Mom!” Will breathed.

“Will!” Joyce seethed with anger. “You lied to-“ Her words cut off, as Susan shifted minutely to allow her a view of the android. “What in God’s name is that!?”

“Killer robot!” Will replied. “Can you open it from your side!?”

“I-I can’t!” Joyce tugged on the door. “It’s locked!”

“Locked, locked,” Susan felt around in her pockets, she turned to Will. “The Doctor has the sonic.”

“And he’s not here.” Will looked back, as the android stomped ever closer. He looked back to his mom, about to say something, when his eyes focused on the green Pinto just behind her. “The car…”

“What!?” Joyce shouted.

“The car!” Will pointed.

Joyce picked up on what Will was suggesting, and quickly sprinted off in that direction. Pulling open the door, Joyce slammed down into the seat, cranking the car.

Will and Susan looked on, before two metallic hands clamped around their throats, lifting them off the ground. The android turned them around, forcing the two to look into its glowing orange optics as the air was forced out of their lungs.

An engine roared, metal screeched and glass shattered with a bang, as the car came screeching through the door, crashing into the android.

Susan and Will dropped, as the android was pinned under the front bumper.

Smoke poured out of the engine, as the motor ground and wheezed to a halt, Joyce stumbling out, over to Will.

“Will, Will, baby, are you alright?” She doted over him, seeing the blue in his face.

“Yep…” Will coughed. “Really wishing I had some ice water right about now.

The Doctor came sprinting around the corner. “Susan!” He yelled, crouching down next to her.

“I’m fine…” She waved him off. “Respiratory bypass, remember.”

“Oh, right.” The Doctor replied, evidently forgetting she wasn’t human as well.

“You…” Joyce pointed furiously. “I should’ve known you were involved!”

“Mom, don’t-“

“You take my son for a week, and now he almost had his throat crushed by a… a… Who the hell do you think you are!?”

“Mom,” Will stood up, grabbing her by the shoulder. “They’re my friends.”

“Friends shouldn’t put you into life-threatening situations!” Joyce retorted.

“Um…” Susan glanced over to the android. “It’s about to get a whole lot more life threatening.”

The Doctor’s whipped around to look at the android, and he stiffened. “Everyone, huddle around me!” He ordered, digging into his pockets.

“Now hold on-!” Joyce began.

“Trust him, mom, please.” Will asked her. “He knows what he’s doing.”

The words died in Joyce’s mouth, as she looked into Will’s eyes, and saw how much the boy already trusted the Doctor.

“What’s happening?” Will asked.

“The power cell’s shielding ruptured.” The Doctor answered.

“And that’s bad?” Will assumed.

“Oh, you know,” The Doctor cocked his head quickly, “Half the town’s gonna explode, but, you know, the earth will be fine.”

“Oh, great.” Will sarcastically muttered. “You have a plan?”

“Yep!” The Doctor took out his TARDIS key, the tiny piece of metal glowing a steady gold.

Will could hear the sound of the TARDIS engines, as the console room began to solidify around them.

“Oh my…” Joyce looked around, as the room became solid.

“Susan, help me!” The Doctor ordered, running up the steps to the front door, he pulled them open, the girl helping to drag the broken android inside, before slamming the doors, running back to the console.

The Doctor threw the TARDIS into motion, and the ship began to shake.

“Will,” Joyce looked to him fearfully for an explanation, “What’s-?”

“Don’t worry,” He told her, just as much for his own benefit as hers. “We’re fine, we’re safe.”

The TARDIS rocked with another thud, as the Doctor cut the engines off, sprinting back over to the door.

The broken power cell in the android’s chest was glowing a harsh maroon, as the Doctor pulled the doors open, and with Susan’s help, pushed the hunk of metal out, slamming the doors behind them. The TARDIS rocked as the power cell went up a moment later, before settling.

The Doctor let out a sigh, banging his head against the door in relief.

“Will…” Joyce turned to him. “What just happened?” She demanded.

****

The TARDIS sat patiently, parked in an empty space in the Byers’s kitchen, Joyce and Will sitting at the table, the Doctor and Susan sitting silently off to the side.

“…And…” Joyce gestured, struggling. “You ended up in New York?”

Will nodded. “In the Great Depression.”

Joyce inhaled. “Murray… he found a picture. I thought it was just coincidence.”

“Never ignore a coincidence,” The Doctor advised, “Unless it’s an emergency, in which case-“ Susan elbowed him. “Ow!”

“Stop talking.” Susan hissed.

Will shook his head at the two, before looking back to his mother. “I thought I was going to be stuck there forever, but those two… they found me.” Will looked to them with a smile. “After that, we came back to when I was taken, and starved the angel.”

“B-but,” Joyce held up a hand, “You were gone for a _week._ ”

“I, uh…” Will shifted in his seat.

“It was my fault.” Susan spoke up quietly. “I wanted someone to travel with us again, and I wasn’t thinking…” She looked down. “We didn’t mean to drop him off late, it just happened.”

“The TARDIS had problems with its engines.” Will quickly tried to cover for Susan. “Before that, he got us right where we were going on target. We visited this place called Akhaten, I helped save a little girl’s life, and then we put an angry god back to sleep with a song!”

Joyce slowly looked over to the Doctor. “And you two are aliens.”

“Some of the nice ones!” The Doctor smiled. “Definitely some of the nice ones!”

“So, when you said you were traveling…” Joyce huffed shaking her head. “Why didn’t you just tell us the truth?”

Will swallowed. “I didn’t want you guys to think I was insane.”

“Will,” Joyce placed a hand on his, “After what we’ve all been through these past few years, I will never, never, think you’ve gone crazy.”

Will let out a shaky sigh, nodding slowly. “Thanks. So…” He turned to the Doctor and Susan. “What happens now?”

“Now…” Joyce bit her lip in thought, visibly struggling to say the next words. “I suppose you’ll go with them.”

Will turned back to her. “What?”

“Will,” Joyce began, “I want to protect you, but no matter how much I want to, it doesn’t change the fact that you’re growing up… You’re still my little boy, and you always will be, but now, you’ve got to start taking your first few steps out into the bigger world, see what its really like. And seeing the universe…” She turned to look at the TARDIS, which, though it didn’t have any eyes, was definitely looking back. “You’ve always dreamt of other worlds. Now, you’ll actually get the chance to see them.”

“You could come with us.” Will offered.

Joyce huffed, smiling sadly. “It’s not quite for me, I’m afraid. I’m too old.”

“Poppycock.” The Doctor interjected. “You look beautiful.”

“Flirt.” Susan muttered.

The Doctor quickly blushed. “No, no, I didn’t mean- Actually, I did mean- Well, no- Well, you are a beautiful woman, probably, but I mean, I don’t-“

Joyce laughed. It died down, and she looked to Will.

“Won’t you be worried?” Will asked.

“I’ll always worry.” Joyce replied. “But offers like this… They’re once-in-a-lifetime.” She smiled gently. “You’d have to be stupid. And I know I didn’t raise you to be stupid.”

Will smiled, chuckling minutely. “No. You didn’t.” He glanced over to the Doctor and Susan. “So… you guys think you can deal with me?”

The Doctor crossed his arms. “It’s not like I have a choice.” He grumbled.

Susan grinned, even as she elbowed the Doctor. “Question is, do you think you can handle us?”

Will glanced over to the TARDIS. “Why don’t we put that to the test?”

The two aliens grinned, as they got up.

“Now, hold on!” Joyce stopped the Doctor. “I may be condoning this, but Will’s still a teenager. He has school.”

“School…” The Doctor scrunched his face. “I hate school.”

“You and most other kids,” Joyce replied, “But he’s got an education he has to finish. This is going to have to be a weekend-only thing, understand?” She laid out.

The Doctor narrowed his eyes. “Friday afternoon, back in time for Monday morning.”

“Are they…” Will whispered to Susan. “Having custody arguments over me?”

Susan winced. “God, I hope not. That’d be awkward.”

“You can have him Saturday morning back on Sunday.” Joyce crossed her arms. “Final offer.”

The Doctor let out a theatrical sigh. “Fine.”

Joyce grinned shaking the Doctor’s hand. “It’s a deal.”

****

The column in the center of the control console rose and fell with a growl, as the Master walked through the corridors of his TARDIS, towards a room in the back.

He looked at the bronze metal casing in one of the storerooms. The casing itself, the weapons, the defenses, all were finished. But, it was empty.

It needed a pilot. And God knows he wasn’t going to be the one to volunteer.

The Master thought about it for a moment, before he broke out into a grin.

He had just the idea.

He ran back into the console room, singing and dancing along to some stupid pop song he had blaring over the radio.

The Master pulled the lever, and his TARDIS growled, as it rematerialized back in Hawkins.


	20. Interlude: Video Games and Crank Calls

“What’s happening!?” Will asked in a panic, “What do I do!?”

“Yep, that place is boned.” Susan replied, sitting on the sofa next to him. As it turned out, not only did she have a TV, but it was rigged up to a computer.

Not the kinds of computers Will was used to, but something much beefier. It all started something like this; during the week, even with all travel barred as outlined in the Doctor’s agreement with Will’s mother, Will typically went back to the TARDIS, parked safely in the shed in the house’s back yard, away from prying eyes.

Susan would help him with his homework (he said ‘help’ there were a few times he had to make sure she didn’t just do it herself out of impatience) and then, the two would typically do something fun.

Today, she was showing him the world of video games past the little bleeping blooping things he had in his home.

“What do I do!?” Will screamed, trying to run into and open a door. “E’s the use key, why isn’t it working!?”

Susan rolled her eyes. “It’s a cinematic section. You have to wait for it to play out.”

“Wait?” Will questioned. “Why would I wait? It’s a video game, they’re supposed to be played!”

“This is Half Life.” Susan replied. “Well, Black Mesa… It’s not just a game, it’s like an interactive movie.”

Will frowned, as the next sequence finished. The chapter title ‘UNFORSEEN CONSEQUENCES’ flashed across the bottom of the giant screen, and Will pressed the buttons to continue. “Dude… This is kinda fucked up.” He commented, looking at the blood trails and burnt bodies scattering the broken hallway.

Susan shrugged. “There was less blood in the original.”

“Then why aren’t you having me play that one!?”

“This one’s harder.” Susan chuckled slightly. “I want to see how long it takes for you to break the keyboard.”

Will sighed.

****

“Good lord.” Will breathed, after finally getting through a section that had been killing him over and over for the past hour. “I’m taking a break from this damn thing.”

“No, you haven’t gotten to Xen yet!” Susan said.

“Don’t care. If it’s anything like the last few levels, it’s just going to be another marathon of death.” Will leaned back.

Susan’s eyebrows knit together, before her eyes suddenly widened, a mischievous twinkle and grin overtaking her features. “Hey… You want to do something fun?”

****

The phone on the wall ringed incessantly, disturbing the one inhabitant of the cabin trying to get some sleep.

“Fine, yes, I’ll answer it!” Cortana bellowed, no one saying anything to prompt her, as she stormed over to the wall. “What!?” She practically screamed.

 _“Take a look in the other room and confirm who you’re talking to.”_ El answered.

“El, I swear to God-“ She whipped around, freezing, as she saw the girl reading a Transformers comic. “El… Since when do you talk through the phone?”

 _“I don’t.”_ El replied. _“This is a very important message, from future El. At 8PM tonight, someone poisons the coffee. Don’t drink it. Goodbye.”_

“Ho, ho, hold the fuck up!” Cortana tried before the line went dead. She looked at the clock, which read 8:03, and towards the coffee pot, John about to take a sip from the mug.

“No!” Cortana screamed, diving across the room, knocking the mug out of his hand.

John looked at her with confusion, as she heaved.

“Trust me…” Cortana breathed. “You’ll thank me later.”

****

Hopper sighed, growling, as he moved to pick up the phone on his desk. “Hawkins PD, Jim Hopper speaking.”

_“Yes, hello, I’d like to report a missing person.”_

Hopper drew his lips into a line, as he pulled out the paperwork. “Name?”

_“Seymour Fani.”_

“Seymour…” Hopper scowled. “Hey!”

The voices on the other end burst out laughing.

“Alright, listen you little shits. I’m gonna hunt you down, and when I find you, I’m gonna cut out your entrails, and use them to make a sweater!”

That only made the two little snots on the other end laugh harder, the line going dead a second later.

Hopper was going to throw that phone across the damn room one of these days.

****

Will pushed the red button on the smartphone, he and Susan descending into giggles on the floor.

“Wh-who next?” Will asked, trying to force it out in between giggles.

“Oh, oh, I know.” Susan grabbed the phone, dialing the number. It rung for a moment. “Hey, Mrs. Wheeler,” Susan greeted, in a pitch-perfect imitation of El’s voice, her normal British accent gone to make way for an American one. “Is Mike there? He is?” She turned to Will, grinning. “Great!” She put a finger over her lips, gesturing for Will to keep silent, before hitting the button to put the call on speakerphone.

_“El, is that you?”_

“Hey, Mike!” Susan replied. “I have an, erm, a question…”

 _“O-kay…”_ Mike slowly replied. “ _Shoot.”_

“What’s a lesbian?” Susan leaned closer to the phone.

Will silently spluttered, covering his mouth.

 _“Oh, um…”_ Mike stammered. _“Okay, um, how do I put this… You know Robin? I’m pretty sure she’s lesbian?”_

Susan blinked, tilting her head even though it wasn’t strictly necessary. “I thought she was American?”

Will laughed, falling back, clapping his hands together.

_“What the- is that Will!? Did he put you up to this!?”_

“What’s that? Oh, I have to go, bye!” Susan said, mashing the red button, descending into giggles herself. “Oh…” She laughed, looking up at the ceiling. “I forgot how much fun these things could be when the people on the other end don’t have Caller ID.”

“Yeah…” Will chuckled. “Hey, that was a pretty good impression of El you did.”

“If you thought that was impressive…” Susan cleared her throat. “Well, that’s just, like, your opinion, man.” She said, somehow sounding _exactly_ like Jeff Bridges.

Will gaped. “No way… Dude, how are you _doing_ that!?”

Susan winked, tapping her nose. “Little Time Lord trick,” She said, voice effortlessly going back to normal. “Our larynxes are pretty much able to produce any sound able to exist. It’s not just voices, either.” She cleared her throat again, before a perfect imitation of a whale’s song flowed from her lips.

Will laughed. “You’re like the guy from Police Academy!”

Susan laughed at the remark, nodding.


	21. Didactic Principals

“So!” Will slammed the door behind him as he strode into the console room. “Where are we going?”

The Doctor looked up from the other side of the console, an excited grin overtaking him. “Ready to get on with it, that’s what I like to hear!”

“Yep.” Will clapped his hands. “I’ve got my wallet in case I need it, my TARDIS key, and-“ He held out the cell phone the Doctor had given him during that mess with the Scourge but never really took back. “Ready for anything.”

“Ready for anything,” The Doctor repeated, turning to Susan. “Why don’t we put that to the test?”

The corners of the girl’s mouth turned up mischievously, as she gestured to the console. “Whatever you say.”

The Doctor snapped his fingers, and pulled the lever, the TARDIS setting into motion.

****

On top of a grassy overlook, the TARDIS rematerialized, the doors opening a second later, Will looking out first.

“Whoa…” Will breathed out, looking at the enormous metal skyscrapers extending far into the sky. The towers were silver, similarly colored structures directly underneath, separated by air, as a massive grey dome held them up from far above the clouds.

“Apalapucia!” The Doctor stated. “Soaring spires, silver colonnades, and-“ He stopped abruptly, having gotten a good look at the place. “This isn’t Apalapucia…”

Susan’s eyebrows knit together, as she shut the door. “Where are we?”

“I don’t know…” The Doctor suddenly began beaming. “Sure does look interesting! What do you two say,” He turned to his companions, “Shall we take a look-see?”

Will looked out at the vast, extending landscape, the very obviously artificial structures dotted around, and threw out a hand. “Why not?”

“That’s the spirit!” The Doctor approved, twirling his cane as he took the lead down the path.

****

Will whistled as the trio walked across a gargantuan metal bridge set into the landscape. After a solid twenty minutes, they finally came to a facility on the ground, and proceeded inside.

“The guys who built this place went all-out, didn’t they?” Will asked as they walked into a building.

“Yeah.” Susan agreed. “Look at the way this spire is built. Like the designers took great care to shape the building around the landscape, as opposed to terraforming the landscape to make way for the structures.”

“But where are all the people?” Will wondered, as they walked through a large room that looked more like a cave than anything else, but with a transparent floor that allowed a view into the chasm below. “I haven’t seen anybody since we got here.”

“Well, hopefully, they’re not the types to get angry at people inviting themselves in.” The Doctor replied. His eyes locked on something across the room, and his eyebrows shot up. “Ooh… Hello, what are you?” He muttered, walking over to the large terminal placed at the head of the room, like a podium overlooking an announcement hall.

“Oh, a hologram. Love a hologram.” The Doctor remarked, reaching his hand out. In response to the contact, a blue spheroid hologram flickered into existence over the terminal, alien text running alongside. The Time Lord’s eyebrows knit together, as he reached into his pockets for his reading glasses, peering closer at the text.

“What is it?” Susan inquired.

“’In service to Forerunner Shield Installation, designation: Requiem…’” The Doctor read.

“Requiem.” Will repeated, turning away from the hologram to the Doctor. “You know where that is?”

“No clue.” The Doctor answered. “Hm… Let’s see if we can zoom out a bit.” He muttered, trying to manipulate the intangible sphere.

Red points of light began to pulse on every centimeter of the blue sphere.

“What’d you do?” Susan took a step back.

The Doctor’s head tilted, looking at the symbols flashing across the control panel. “Looks like I triggered a tracing program. It’s picking up a transmission.” He looked to the hologram in confusion. “That’s coming from everywhere on this planet at once, apparently.”

“The current tenants?” Susan asked.

The Doctor shrugged. “I don’t know… Let me see if I can-“ The hologram suddenly flashed red, all red points vanishing, save for one at the very center of the hologram. “Oh…. I meant to do that.”

“It’s coming from the core?” Will incredulously questioned. “That can’t be right.”

The Doctor gently smacked Will with his cane chastisingly. “It’s a big universe out there, don’t assume anything about anything.”

“There is that big shell up in the sky.” Susan gestured upwards. “Maybe whoever built that used the metals from the planet’s own core, and now they’re stuck down there.”

“The planet’s hollow…” Will looked down uncomfortably. “Please tell me this thing isn’t only a couple of feet thick.”

“Oh, a few kilometers, at least.” The Doctor replied. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully for a moment. “Oh well, not a problem. We can take the TARDIS down. Come along.”

The three turned to exit out the way they entered, but as they did so, none of them noticed the hologram flashing red again, throwing out a red symbol in warning.

****

“What the hell…?” Will muttered as they stepped out of the TARDIS, into a room built rather like a cathedral, a black sphere with orange circuitry lines running across its exterior. The entire place was bathed in an orange glow, as a single bridge extended out from where the TARDIS had landed, to two pylons sitting in front of the sphere.

“The source of the transmission.” The Doctor pointed. “Hm… Must be automated.” His mind began to run, as he placed his hands on each pylon.

“Doctor…” Susan stepped forward.

“Hm, nothing.” The Doctor stepped back, frowning. “Whole thing must be kaput.”

Will frowned, taking a step forward. “But it all looks so well-maintained.” He noted, as the pylons began to glow with his approach.

“Will… Take a step back.” The Doctor instructed, grabbing onto the metaphorical thread.

Will frowned, but did as he was told, and the glow died down in response.

The Doctor poked the pedestals, nothing happening in response. “Oh, I see, this terminal must be a higher-security one! But why key it to respond to humans, I wonder?”

“Well, let me see-“ Will tried to take a step forward.

“Ah, ah!” The Doctor grabbed him on the shoulder. “Probably not a good idea to touch the high-security pylons which we have no idea what do.”

“You touched them.” Susan pointed out, crossing her arms.

“…Well, I don’t have a self-preservation instinct, what’s his excuse?”

Will snorted, crossing his arms. “What do you suggest we do, then?”

“There’s got to be someone out there who’s an expert on this stuff, right?” The Doctor suggested. “Let’s go find ‘em.”

****

Doctor Catherine Halsey was a woman of many, many regrets. Over the course of her life she’d lied, stolen, cheated, killed…

But, perhaps, at the top of that list was not having the foresight to see ONI’s betrayal incoming. Well, to say that ONI betrayed anyone was incredibly wrong. It implied they had loyalty to anybody but themselves, which was plainly false. Like all the shadowy intelligence agencies of the past, they’d contact you, make you an offer impossible to refuse, and then, cast you aside like a piece of refuse.

Which is how Halsey happened to wind up in ONI’s secretive Midnight Facility in the end. Her work, however squeamish, saved humanity, and ONI repaid her by throwing her in a cell, and throwing away the key.

They would’ve killed her, but of course, she still had her uses.

But, most days, her time was filled by sitting in a chair, staring at the wall, desperately trying to think her way through mathematical equations to stave off the boredom.

A faint breeze began to kick up in her cell, and she sighed. The guards were always playing about with the environment settings to mess with her.

Something, like an engine’s parts scraping against each other, vibrated throughout the room, as the lights flickered.

Halsey frowned, as she turned around to the broken light. Her eyebrows raised at the object materializing in the center of her cell.

“Ah, hello!” A young man with floppy hair and a bow tie popped his head out of the wooden doors. “I’m the Doctor! I need your help.”

Halsey’s aged eyes narrowed at the supposed Doctor. “Who sent you? ONI, I presume?”

“Nope!” The Doctor replied. “I need a Forerunner expert, and you’re the foremost.”

“If you know that,” Halsey clasped her hands, “You know who I am… what I’ve done.”

The Doctor’s outward projections of mirth vanished. “I do.” He confirmed, voice low. “And you’re going to serve your penance, trust me. But right now, I need you.” Alarms began to blare as the guards finally realized there was an unauthorized person in Halsey’s cell.

“And why should I go with you?” Halsey questioned.

“Because you’re just sitting here.” The Doctor replied. “Wasting away for the rest of your days where nobody will remember you exist. If you’re gonna go out… why not do it with a bang?”

Halsey glanced to her cell door, the clanging of boots echoing down the hall.

She turned back to the Doctor, and nodded.


	22. Didactic Principals, Part Two

Dr. Halsey looked around the TARDIS console room as the ship drifted through the time vortex towards its destination.

“I know what you’re thinking.” The Doctor began. “’Tiny box, big ol’ room inside, what’s that about?’ Well, basically, it’s-“

“Another dimension.” Halsey cut the Doctor off. “I’ve written several papers on the theory of dimensional transcendentalism, many of them proven first-hand, don’t patronize me.”

The Doctor bristled, looking back at the controls. “Just trying to break the ice…” He muttered.

“You kidnapped me from my prison cell and are forcing me to help you.” Halsey shot back. “Don’t try to be friendly.”

The Doctor rolled his eyes out of Halsey’s view. “Well you don’t have to be so mean about it.”

****

Will and Susan, standing by the pylons, looked over as the TARDIS landed, and the doors opened.

Will tilted his head. “Cortana?” He asked, upon seeing Dr. Halsey.

“Will, Susan, Halsey.” The Doctor pointed. “Halsey, Will, Susan.”

Halsey disregarded the two teenagers, stepping over to the pylons.

“Be careful,” The Doctor advised, “That’s a-“

“I’m quite familiar with Forerunner systems, thank you.” Halsey returned, not looking back as she placed her hands over the pylons, holographic controls flickering into existence over the top of each one.

Susan scowled, crossing her arms. “Then why don’t you tell us what those pylons do?”

“I would appreciate it if you remained silent.” Halsey replied.

“Lady, I’m smarter than your entire species.” Susan pointed angrily. “The only reason the Doctor brought you here was because he and I are physically incapable of using that terminal, and Will’s too important to us in case it fried him.”

“Really?” Will asked Susan. “Oh, I’m flattered.”

Halsey let out a suffering sigh. “If you must know, these pylons are the controls for a Cryptum. A Forerunner stasis device. Forerunners of status would seal themselves inside, and submerge themselves in the Domain, a sort of meditation, if you will.”

“Domain…” Will quietly repeated. “That sounds… Familiar.”

The Doctor raised an eyebrow at Halsey. “You’ve seen something like this before, then?”

“No. However, ONI research teams have uncovered numerous Forerunner terminal excerpts that outline the function of these devices in great detail.” Halsey outlined, running through the controls of the device. “Though a prisoner I may be, ONI still gives me the occasional data file.”

“But hold on,” Susan held up her hand, “You said stasis. Does that mean-?”

“There is a living specimen inside, yes.” Halsey answered.

“…Any idea who it is?” The Doctor asked.

“Contrary to popular belief, I do not know everything.” Halsey shot back. “It seems there is one course of action.” She said, before pushing a button.

The circuitry on the outside of the Cryptum began to glow.

“What are you doing!?” The Doctor demanded.

Halsey glanced back to him. “What you brought me here to do.”

The air around the outer rim of the Cryptum began to shimmer and warp.

“Susan, Will… Behind the TARDIS. Now.” The Doctor ordered, getting a sinking feeling.

“Why?” Susan inquired.

“Well, it seems I may have made an error.” The Doctor swallowed, motioning for them to move. “A big situational misreading.”

Susan sighed in frustration. “What is it?”

“Well… What do you call someplace where someone locks you up with no way for you to free yourself and makes sure only someone who knows what they’re doing could let you out?”

Will paled. “A prison.”

“Yes, now, go, go!” The Doctor hurried them along, as the curved panels on the bottom of the Cryptum began to lift away, revealing a shimmering orange surface, like glowing water, underneath.

The interior rippled, as a spinning metal platform descended out from the Cryptum. Seven metal spikes, almost like bars, lowered to the sides of the circular platform, allowing the alien prisoner to stand up. The alien being stood at least eleven feet tall, and looked rather like a mix between ape-like and reptilian features.

The alien held out his arms, as pieces of armor similar to the rest of the technology dotted around materialized out of nowhere, attaching to points on his body, covering his arms, legs, and torso completely.

“So fades the great harvest of my betrayal…” The alien spoke, turning around to face the Doctor and Halsey. With a wave of the alien’s hand, weaponized robots began to teleport in around the chamber, clicking and growling at the Doctor and Halsey. “The Librarian left little to chance, turning my own soldiers, my own _world,_ against me.”

“Didact…” Halsey stepped forward, noticing the symbol emblazoned proudly on the alien’s chest. “You are the Didact, husband of the Librarian.”

The Didact raised a hand, Halsey and the Doctor being lifted into the air. “Your kind’s nobility has blinded you as ever. But if you could fall for such trickery… Then your kind has not yet attained the Mantle.” The Didact tilted his head. “Your ascension may yet be prevented.” The Didact growled. “Time was your ally, human… but now it has abandoned you. The Forerunners… have returned.” The Didact proclaimed, a skeletal mask materializing over his face. “This tomb is now yours.” The Didact waved his hand, and the two went flying across the chamber, sliding across the metal floor.

“Doctor!” The two came running out from behind the TARDIS.

“I’m fine.” The Time Lord grunted, getting to his feet. “Halsey?

The old woman coughed but stood up.

“What the hell was that?” Will asked, as the Didact retreated back into his Cryptum, the sphere floating upwards, the air gathering around it like a storm.

“A Forerunner.” Halsey answered,

“The guys that decided to kill off the galaxy to save it, great…” Will muttered.

The warrior robots began to march, footsteps thundering throughout the chamber as the Cryptum began to vanish into a massive portal.

“Into the TARDIS, now!” The Doctor advised, running into the ship as the robots began to open fire. The group crossed the threshold of the shielding, and slammed the doors shut, the Doctor quickly initiating the take-off sequence. “Okay, okay… We should be safe. I mean, there’s an ancient alien who very obviously doesn’t like humans out on the prowl, but we should be safe.”

“What were you thinking!?” Susan demanded, looking between Halsey and the Doctor. “You knew it wasn’t safe, you knew!” She furiously pointed at the Doctor. “Why did you wait until the last second to say something!?”

“I didn’t _know_ …” The Doctor replied. “I mean, I had certainly hoped.”

“Hoped… you brought us here on purpose, didn’t you?” Susan questioned.

“Well, you know, I was curious to see how things would play out since the people that should’ve been here were instead stuck in the 80s...”

Susan threw up her hands. “I can’t believe you...” She stormed over to the console, pulling around one of the monitors.

“What’re you doing?” Will inquired.

“Trying to see where the Didact is off to.” Susan answered, looking at the scanner at a readout of Requiem.

“Where is he?” The Doctor asked, peering over.

“No clue.” Susan replied. “But look here,” She pointed to a point past the planet’s outer shell.

“UNSC INF-101.” The Doctor read. “What’s that?”

Halsey inhaled. “Infinity. The flagship. How did they track us down so quickly?”

“They probably didn’t.” The Doctor replied. “They were probably just passing through this star system, saw the giant metal planet, and thought ‘hey, why not take a look? I’m sure there are no horrible aliens living in it.’”

“They’re getting alarmingly close to the entry terminus.” Susan pointed to a highlighted section on the map.

“Looks like they’re already being pulled in by a tractor beam thingy.” The Doctor noted. “Oh, the field strength on it…” The Doctor remarked, looking at the readouts on the monitor. “Looks like the Didact really wants them for something.” He pushed the monitor, setting the controls again.

“What are we going to do?” Will asked.

“The Didact wants that ship, we’re not going to let him have it.” The Doctor answered. “Looks there’s a generator in a nearby valley… Let’s go break some stuff.”

****

“Ooh… Dark in here, isn’t it?” The Doctor asked rhetorically as the four stepped out of the TARDIS, into another Forerunner structure closer to the outer levels of Requiem. “Looks like they need to get someone in.”

“The Forerunners were able to see fine in low-light environments.” Halsey stated.

“I like the Tron lines, though.” Will commented, as the four walked into a larger room. “Very future- whoa!” He exclaimed, recoiling as one of the warrior robots from before teleported in. “Guys!” He pointed in alarm.

“Hold on…” The Doctor held a hand out at Will. “I think this one’s different…” He noted, as the bipedal robot with a vaguely expressive face bowed. “Yeah, you don’t want to hurt us, do you?” He asked the robot.

“Why’s this one glowing blue?” Susan asked. “The ones down in the core were orange.”

“Hm…” The Doctor’s eyebrows knit together. “I don’t know. Passive security mode, maybe? Or maybe-“

“The units in this installation are under a separate command authority.” Halsey suggested.

“Would make sense if the ones in the core were guard units, like wardens. Hostile to any unauthorized presences on-sight.” The Doctor agreed, rubbing his chin. “This one must be more passive, like a guard that won’t shoot until you’ve proven you’re actively hostile.”

The robot began walking over to a door at the end of the room, as Halsey and the Doctor discussed theories amongst themselves.

“Guys.” Susan pointed, as the robot stopped in front of a door. The door opened, and it turned around, motioning at them with its unarmed hand. “I think it wants us to follow it.”

“Then by all means.” Halsey began pursuing first.

The three time travelers shook their heads, but followed as well, as the robot led them deeper into the Forerunner structure. They came to a dead-end, and the floor began to descend.

“Ah, it’s a lift.” The Doctor recognized as the platform moved down. “Love lifts. Stairs start to be a pain when you’re my age.”

“I’m surprised any of this still works.” Will said, looking around. “And it all looks so new…”

“Forerunner installations typically have caretaker units, Sentinels.” Halsey explained.

“Is that what these are?” Will asked.

“Not of any make and model I recognize.” Halsey answered.

The elevator came to a stop, the door opening. The robot stepped aside, and allowed the four to exit, noticeably choosing to stay behind, as the door shut behind them.

“Okay, I’m starting to feel a little bit freaked out.” Susan stated, as they followed the twisting hallways, into a massive corridor, looked like it was constructed to transport something far larger than them. Another glowing blue robot servant walked through a door to their left, the door sealing behind it, as another door opened at the end of the corridor.

“If I didn’t know better, I’d say these guys were helping us.” Will commented, as another robot directed them down a corridor to their right.

“Maybe it’s them saying sorry for the ones down in the core shooting at us.” The Doctor hypothesized, as the door at the end opened.

This room was different from the rest, obviously similar in construction, but serving a different purpose. A long, thin bridge ran from the entrance to a control terminal at the end, surrounded on both sides by a series of spinning generators.

The four walked across the bridge to the controls at the end, and the Doctor took the lead, trying to manipulate the controls.

“Oh, these are the controls for the particle cannons dispersed around the valley.” The Doctor recognized, frowning. “Why would they…”

“The tractor beam generator is at the heart of the valley, is it not?” Halsey asked.

“Yes, but why- oh.” The Doctor cut himself off. “Oh.” He grinned. “Oh, thank you, you lovely little killer robots!”

“What is it?” Susan asked.

“I can use these controls to redirect the cannons to fire on the generator!” The Doctor hopped up and down excitedly. “Just give me a tick…”

As the Doctor began to work the controls, an angelic, ethereal singing began to fill Will’s mind. He looked to the Doctor, Susan, and Halsey, and none of them seemed to even register it.

 _“Come to me, child…”_ The voice stopped her singing, calling to Will.

Will, even though he had no idea of the voice’s source, or even if he should trust it, found himself compelled to obey, almost like his conscious mind was being shoved into the back seat for his subconscious to take over. As the Doctor, Susan, and Halsey were engrossed over the controls, Will slowly turned around, blankly staring ahead, as his body went on autopilot, following the voice.

As Will marched slowly back to the door, a bridge of glowing blue light shot out from the main bridge, connecting with a panel on the wall that lifted up. Ignoring every instinct screaming at him that this was a bad idea, Will walked across the glowing, transparent construct, entering the tunnel entrance on the wall.

The voice began singing again, getting louder as Will took the correct turns, even though he had no idea which turns were correct, through the dark, cramped corridors. A hatch slid open at the end of one, and Will walked out, gently floating to the ground from the some ten off the ground feet up the exit was.

A line of the robots from before stood in front of a large door, making way for Will to enter as the metal plate slid open.

A beam of glowing blue light shot out from the floor, bathing Will in a blue glow as he stepped into the room. Though the beam glowed extremely bright, Will felt no heat coming off of it, and as he stepped closer to the glowing blue column, he reached his hands out, his vision going completely white.

Will suddenly found himself standing on a lone platform, a thick, impenetrable fog underneath, and a clear blue sky above. He looked around in fearful confusion as his faculties finally returned to him.

Will found his attention being drawn to the ‘sun’ as a figure began to materialize out of it.

He made an attempt to shield his eyes, as the woman floated down close to him.

Will tilted his head, as the bright light around the woman’s face cleared. “Mom?”

“No.” The alien using his mother’s face and voice answered. “I am what remains of the Forerunner known as the Librarian.” The Librarian gently floated down in front of Will, radiating strongly a sort of… ancient kindness, not too dissimilar to the feeling he got being around the Doctor. “My memories were retained to assist humanity, on their path to the Mantle.”

Will slowly blinked, as he remembered what transpired in Requiem’s core. “Mantle… The Didact said something about that.”

The Librarian solemnly nodded. “It was an idea, one which we held in most respect. The guardianship of all lifeforms below us. Not to dominate, or subjugate, but to guide them, to shepherd them. When the Forerunners departed this world, we chose humanity to become our successors in this respect, but sadly… this plan is now at risk. The Didact is leaving Requiem. Soon. You must _not_ allow it.”

“Wh-what me?” Will spluttered. “I’m just a teenager, a kid! The Didact is a… a twelve-foot tall alien who can force choke people!”

The Librarian somberly shook her head. “I have seen your memories, Will Byers. You have strength, more than you know.”

Will swallowed, paling. “You can read minds?”

“You’ve been touched by the mind of a Precursor.” The Librarian responded. “Moreover, you survived. The connection you once had to it is open. Any who wish to make contact can do so.”

“For the first time, my open mind is a curse, great…” Will muttered. “Now I have to stop an alien mastermind by myself.”

The Librarian might have laughed, had the situation not been as grave as it was. “This is not a burden you have to bear on your own.” She said to him. “You have allies… A Reclaimer.” John’s face flashed briefly in Will’s mind.

“Oh no, I’m not dragging him into this.” Will said.

“You may not have a choice.” The Librarian retorted. “The Didact seeks this-the Composer.” A blue image of an obelisk-shaped device materialized next to the Librarian, Will turning to look at the projection. “A device that will allow him to exact vengeance upon his greatest enemy… you.”

Will glanced back at the Librarian. “…Huh?”

The Librarian waved her hand, and a series of images began to assault Will’s mind.

A battlefield on a world far away from Earth was filled with combatants, Forerunners, and humans, battling for dominance.

“Mankind spread into the stars with an unexpected desperation.” The Librarian explained, as advanced fighter craft tore overhead, the human soldiers on the ground doing all they could to beat the Forerunners into submission. “Entire systems fell to your kind’s war machine, before the Didact’s Warrior-Servants rose to halt the aggression.” An army of Forerunners rose to meet the humans head-on, pushing them back just as forcibly. “As punishment, your people were devolved. The technology they had developed stripped from them and set back to an earlier evolutionary status.” The Librarian explained, as the once-magnificent geometric spires that humanity had created were torn down by the Forerunners, making way for mud and straw huts being lived in by Neanderthals. “But what the Didact, what we _all_ failed to recognize was that humanity was not expanding, you were running.”

The image changed to a countlessly large human fleet, burning their own worlds as they fled from their fallen homes.

“Your kind found something out there, in the cold black of space, and it terrified them.” The Librarian continued. “And weakened from our conflict, we found ourselves unable to fight against that same enemy, which now turned its sights towards us.”

On thousands of different Forerunner worlds across the galaxy, the Flood rained down like a hellish storm, consuming all in its path.

“It showed me this…” Will recognized in horror. “When the Shadow Monster, the Primordial, whatever… It possessed me, and it showed me this… Showed me…”

Seven ringworlds out in space fired, reducing all life in the area of effect to nothing.

“Yes.” The Librarian nodded. “But Halo was not the first plan we had attempted in order to stop the Flood. A thousand others were tried and failed. In our quest to avoid having to use Halo, we tried to formulate a different solution. A way to bridge the realms of the digital and the analogue. Infected beings were to be converted into data, from which we could correct the infection, and restore them safely.”

“That’s what the Composer does.” Will guessed.

The Librarian dipped her head solemnly. “It would’ve made us immortal… But the process was flawed. The digital essences of those composed were fractured, driven mad by what they were subjected to. Our attempts to restore them only produced abominations, broken, twisted, and corrupted beyond what any lifeform could reasonably be subjected to. But the Didact… While we sought to lock the device away, the Didact could only see its potential in making machines of war. The Flood could only truly infect organic tissue. While digital intelligences could be afflicted with the logic plague, there were safeguards capable of preventing such corruption, and the Didact sought to use this. When we would not provide him with beings to be Composed…” The image changed to a settlement on Earth. “The Didact sought to procure them himself.”

The Didact’s starship fired the Composer at the settlement. All humans inside were broken down, glowing orange as their bodies burned away to ash.

On the Didact’s vessel, massive automated forges worked to put the digital essences back into mechanical bodies. One was brought online, and Will paled as he recognized the metal carapace, and the almost skeletal head.

“Those robots we’ve been seeing… They’re _human!?”_

“They were.” The Librarian confirmed regretfully. “They are now the Didact’s Promethean Knights.” The Librarian swallowed, as though she were fighting back tears. “He would’ve Composed your entire race, had we not stopped him.”

“And we woke him back up.” Will breathed in horror.

The Librarian nodded grimly. “Will… Millennia ago, I indexed your people to save them from the activation of the Array. When I did so, I placed a genesong, a geas, into your people.”

“Geas?” Will repeated.

“Genetic seeds, instincts, that would guide your people down a path. A path that would lead to an eventuality.” She explained, an armored man materializing next to her.

“John…” Will recognized.

“The Reclaimer.” The Librarian stated. “His combat skin, his intelligence, his strength, his swiftness, even his ancilla, Cortana… all forged for a purpose. He is the culmination of a thousand lifetimes of planning, and the only human left in existence capable of opposing the Didact.” The Librarian pressed her hands together. “You _must_ enlist his help.”

“I…” Will took a step back. “I can’t do that. John, he’s got a daughter now, and Cortana, she’s human, and expecting! I can’t just drag him away from that!”

“If you do not, the human race may very well have seen the last of its days.” The Librarian gravely told the teenager. The room began to shake, as metal pillars began to extend up from the fog, atop which stood the glowing orange Prometheans under the Didact’s command. “He has found us.” The Librarian stated, looking around fearfully.

 _“Even in death,”_ The Didact boomed, _“Her meddling continues.”_

“Will,” The Librarian turned back to him, holding out her hand. In it, was clutched a small device, shaped rather like a T, with blue lines running on the front and back. “The genesong I placed within the Reclaimer, within you, contains many gifts. One of them is a countermeasure against the Composer’s effects. I can unlock it within you.”

 _“Relinquish your contact essence!”_ The Didact ordered.

The Librarian ignored him, holding out the device for Will to take. “This device can impose it upon your friends.”

“Will we be able to go up against the Didact without it?” Will asked.

“No.” The Librarian answered.

Will reached out, taking the Forerunner device from the Librarian. “Then I’ll do it.”

The Librarian nodded and relinquished the device to Will with a slight smile. “Good luck…” She wished, as the world around Will began to turn white once more.


	23. Didactic Principals, Part Three

“…Will?” Susan shook Will by the shoulders, as the interior of the Forerunner structure returned to normal. “Will!”

“Huh, what?” Will looked around in confusion.

“You wandered off, we got worried.” Susan said, gesturing to the Doctor and Halsey.

“Oh, I…” Will looked down to the object in his hands.

“What is that?” The Doctor asked.

“It’s, uh…”

“May I?” Halsey asked, holding out a hand.

Will paused for a moment, before placing it in the older woman’s hand.

Upon making contact with her skin, the device flashed for a moment, before returning to its normal illumination. Evidently, it had activated, but Halsey showed no outward signs she noticed any changes.

“Hm… I’ve not seen a device like this before.” Halsey commented, passing it back to Will.

“What happened?” The Doctor asked.

“I heard this voice.” Will answered. “Like it was… compelling me to come here. And then I saw her. The Librarian.”

Halsey’s interest piqued. “The Librarian? What did she say, what did she look like? Tell me.”

“She looked like my mom.” Will answered.

“Hm, choosing a familiar form so you’d listen,” Halsey rubbed her chin, “Continue.”

Will swallowed. “These robots we’ve been running into, they’re not just robots. They used to be human.”

“Human?” Susan repeated incredulously.

Will nodded. “There’s this thing out there called the Composer. The Didact’s going to go after it to make more Prometheans, that’s the robots, by attacking Earth.”

“Oh, that’s not good, that is very not good.” The Doctor said. “So, that thing in your hand, the Librarian gave it to you?”

“Yeah.” Will passed it off to the Doctor. “She said it could make us immune to the Composer.”

The device glowed steadily in the Doctor’s hand for a moment. “Ah, it’s adapting itself to my DNA, introducing electromagnetic instabilities into my cells.” The light died down, and he passed it off to Susan.

“So, if the Didact gets the Composer, it won’t harm us?” Susan questioned, as the device worked on her as well.

Will shrugged. “The Librarian seemed to think we’d need it.”

“Good thinking on her part.” The Doctor recognized. The whole building suddenly shook, like an earthquake.

“What in the world?” Halsey looked up.

“The Didact…” Will breathed in fear. “He found me and the Librarian. He knows we’re here.”

And as if they were responding to Will’s words, a legion of Promethean Knights teleported in, being swiftly opposed by the Librarian’s own knights guarding the facility.

“Come on!” The Doctor ordered, pulling the other three along back towards the exit of the facility.

****

“What’s happening!?” Will asked, as the TARDIS shook and spluttered.

“The Didact’s getting ready to leave the planet!” The Doctor replied. “Whatever he’s doing, it’s making big, big ripples in the higher dimensions, the TARDIS doesn’t like it!”

“Is there something we can do to stop him!?” Susan asked.

The Doctor rubbed his forehead in frustration. “No weapons, no backup… I don’t think there is.”

“Well, there has to be something, right?” Will asked. “I mean, he is just one Forerunner, even he would have a hard time going up against whatever military we have, right?”

“Right…” The Doctor slowly followed along.

“So, if he’s going after the Composer, why don’t we make sure he can’t get it?” Will suggested.

“…Will, that’s brilliant!” The Doctor beamed after a second of thought. “Take out the Composer, the Didact won’t be able to make more Prometheans, and then the humans can deal with him themselves! You,” He turned to Halsey, “You’re the Forerunner expert, do you know where the Composer is?”

“I am _not_ omniscient.” Halsey shot back. “However… Some time ago, a device of Forerunner origin unlike anything seen before was recovered from a Halo installation. I assisted in establishing research station set up to study it before my imprisonment.”

“Right, put the co-ordinates in here.” The Doctor gestured to a keypad on the console.

Halsey nodded, and stepped over.

****

The TARDIS rematerialized in a storage room off one of the corridors of the research station. The Doctor peeked his head out first, motioning for the others to stay in the TARDIS, as he explored the corridors of the station.

Scientists of all walks of life were going about their business, doing research on Forerunner artifacts recovered from the ringworld looming distantly outside.

And as he walked, the Doctor came to a massive chamber, an atrium, in the heart of the station. A silver obelisk, with glowing blue inscriptions, stood immobile in the center of the chamber.

The Doctor looked around, finding a marine standing guard over the chamber. “Excuse me,” He spoke to the soldier, “I’m going to need to speak to the person in charge of this station.”

The marine blinked. “I’m going to need to see some identification.”

The Doctor held up a finger, and reached into his pockets, flashing the psychic paper.

The marine’s eyes widened. “Oh. I-I-I’m so sorry, sir.” He apologized frantically. “Right this way.”

The Doctor tucked the paper back inside his pocket with a smile, as he followed.

****

“Doctor Tilson.” The marine addressed an older woman working in the station’s command center. “This man wanted to speak to you.”

Tilson turned around, looking at the Doctor curiously.

“Hello,” The Doctor held his hand out, “I’m the Doctor.”

Tilson let out a short laugh as she shook the Time Lord’s hand. “You, and just about everyone else in this station. Now, forgive me, but I don’t think I caught news you were coming.”

“Oh, no, you wouldn’t have.” The Doctor politely replied. “Call it a surprise visit. You see that big metal Forerunner do-hickey? I’m going to have to take it off your hands.”

Tilson laughed humorously. “Yes, very funny. Who put you up to this? It’s a lot of effort for a joke.” As the Doctor’s confused look, Tilson quickly sobered. “Wait… You were _serious_?”

The Doctor shrugged slightly sheepishly. “Yep.”

Tilson spluttered. “You don’t think you can- It can’t leave this station, you know that, right?”

“We don’t have a choice.” The Doctor replied. “There’s an alien that hates humans on his way here to take it. We have to get it out of here, and into the nearest star before he can get his hands on it.”

“It’s not a matter of choice!” Tilson replied. “It took three months, a-and the biggest starship the UNSC could throw at it just to get it here!”

“Don’t worry,” The Doctor straightened his bow tie, “I have something much better.”

The entire research station shook, as space outside warped and rippled.

“He’s here.” The Doctor turned to Tilson gravely. “Get you and your people off the station. I’ll handle the rest.”

****

Will suddenly tensed up. “We need to help the Doctor!” He said, turning to Susan and Halsey.

“Wait, what?” Susan questioned. “Why?”

“The Didact’s here!” Will replied, as the TARDIS shook.

“Well, let’s not wait on my account, move!” Susan ordered, running over to the door first. “Come on!” She told the two, throwing the wooden doors open, stepping out. Halsey followed, and Will moved to as well, but he suddenly stopped, freezing.

 _“Interesting…_ ” The Didact spoke in Will’s mind. _“The four of you have beat me to my destination… But I cannot have you interfering in my plans.”_

Will tensed up, muscles feeling like they were on fire, as he clutched his temples.

 _“You were foolish to think you could oppose me with the link to your mind open.”_ The Didact chided. _“Now… I will assume control.”_

Will’s legs began to move against his wishes, as he walked over to the doors, slamming them shut.

“Will?” Susan asked. “What’re you doing?”

Will’s hand stretched out, turning the tiny knob on the Yale lock, the lock clicking shut.

“Will!” Susan tried to push the door open.

Will moved in a jittering manner back over to the console, pushing down the two red levers on the panel closest to the door. A klaxon blared, as the deadlock engaged.

“My key’s not working, what did you do!?” Susan demanded.

“I-I don’t…” Will stuttered, frozen in place by the Didact’s mind pressing down on his own. “I can’t… Don’t worry about me.” He directed. “Find the Doctor, stop the Didact.”

“Will-“

“Hurry!” Will ordered.

And as Will was frozen in place, the TARDIS fell silent.

****

“Doctor!” Halsey and Susan ran through the corridors, as sirens blared, the scientists inside scrambling to evacuate. “Doctor!”

“What’re you two doing!?” The Doctor demanded as they ran up. “I told you three to stay in the TARDIS!”

“Will locked us out.” Susan explained, heaving. “He activated the deadlocks, we can’t get back inside.”

“He knows…” The Doctor breathed. “The Didact knows what we’re planning, damnit!” He slapped himself in the face. “Stupid, stupid! If the Librarian could get into Will’s mind and make him move against his will, then it stands to reason the Didact can too!”

“Well…” Susan searched. “What do we do!?”

“The Didact still wants the Composer, we’re going to make sure he can’t get it!” The Doctor outlined, as a team of marines ran through the halls, as Promethean Knights began to teleport in. “Halsey,” He turned to the woman, “Can you get me into the station’s supply manifests?”

Halsey nodded, moving over to a nearby wall terminal, typing in a series of commands and overrides into the keyboard. “There are seven HAVOK-grade nuclear devices listed in the supply manifests. One of them should be more than enough to destroy the Composer, let alone seven.”

“Get one ready,” The Doctor ordered. “Soon as these people get to safety, we’re gonna blow this station sky-high.”

****

The Doctor, Halsey, and Susan ran through the twisting corridors of the research station, to one of the cargo bays. Sitting inside in a delivery mechanism, was the nuke called up from the supply manifest.

“Okay, okay… Don’t blow up, don’t blow up…” The Doctor pleaded, picking up the football-sized device. He sighed, as it remained stable. “Now… The Composer.”

The trio ran back through the station, past the evacuating scientists and the marines desperately fighting against the intruding Prometheans. Bullets, grenades, and bolts of hard light tore through the air, as the three made it back to the central atrium.

“So…” Susan stepped closer to the giant obelisk, she, the Doctor, and Halsey now the only ones in the chamber. “This is the Composer.”

An orange beam swept through the station, enveloping all of them. The beam stopped, and an orange energy field began to surround the Composer.

“Uh oh.” The Doctor said, just moments before the ceiling was ripped off by an invisible force.

The Didact’s ship loomed outside, projecting an orange light onto the Composer. The massive Forerunner device began to lift out of the rock, as the Didact took the prize he sought.

And Susan, who was caught in the field, began to be pulled up as well.

“Susan!” The Doctor shouted, dropping the nuke as he ran over to her, grabbing her hand. The Doctor attempted to pull Susan out of the field, but he too began to be drawn up by the tractor beam. “Halsey!” He coughed, as the field began to pull the air out of his lungs. “You need to… You need...!” He tried to shout, as he, Susan, and the Composer were pulled out into the vacuum of space, towards the Didact’s ship.

****

The invisible force holding Will in place broke, as the Didact finally claimed the Composer. Will, acting quickly, disengaged the deadlock, running outside as the station went into a panicked frenzy.

“Halsey!” Will called, seeing the older woman moving hurriedly back through the station. “What’s happening!?”

“The Didact has the Composer.” Halsey answered. “We have to-“

The station was bathed in an orange glow, as a point of light on the front of the Didact’s ship began to charge.

Will inhaled fearfully, having seen a similar scene take place courtesy of the Librarian. “Oh my God…”

The light reached its apex, glowing like a miniature sun, as the entire station flashed orange.

The people inside suddenly stiffened, screaming, as the layers of their skin and flesh were peeled, bloodlessly burned away as they screamed in agony.

Will and Halsey grunted in pain, falling to the floor.


	24. Didactic Principals, Part Four

Will stirred, groaning as he forced himself to sit up. The smell of fresh ozone assaulted his lungs, and he looked around, seeing the piles of ash that were once people dotted around the room.

A form to his right twitched, and he looked over.

“Halsey,” Will addressed, moving to help her up. “Are you okay?”

“Yes, yes…” The woman breathed a bit uncertainly, looking herself over. “It appears the Librarian’s inoculation worked.”

Will looked to the remains of the scientists regretfully. “I couldn’t give it to them… The Didact, he stopped me before I could.” He looked around, horrified. “Where’s the Doctor and Susan?”

“The Didact took the Composer, them with it.” Halsey answered, sighing. “We are the only ones left.”

“The only ones…” Will breathed, looking around. His eyes surveyed the area, landing on the nuke discarded on the floor. Will’s fear and horror made way for determination, as he picked up the device.

“What are you doing?” Halsey asked, as Will pivoted on his feet, intent on heading back towards the TARDIS.

“Like you said, we’re the only ones left.” Will replied, as he took the lead back to the ship. “The only ones left who can stop him.”

“You’re not serious.” Halsey said, as Will pushed the doors to the ship open. No response came, and she scoffed. “We are only two people. Nuclear device or not, there is no way we can go against an army, let alone a Forerunner one!”

“And if we don’t stop him, every last person on Earth is going to be killed, or worse!” Will shot back.

“It is suicidal!” Halsey retorted.

Will scowled, setting the nuke down in one of the seats nearby, as he reached into his pocket, pulling out a wallet. He flipped it open, and pulled out a small picture, practically shoving it in Halsey’s face. “You see that man?”

Halsey just about rolled her eyes, before they widened minutely, and her jaw dropped. “…John?” She recognized, staring at the picture in awe.

“Yeah.” Will confirmed. “You see the woman in the picture, the one that looks like you except a lot longer, that’s Cortana.” Will finished.

“Cortana…” Halsey’s eyes widened even further. “How…? Neither of them has been seen since the Ark.”

“They ended up in my time.” Will answered. “Nineteen-eighty-three. After all that happened, they crash-landed in my hometown, he saved my life, and then he saved her.” He pointed to the girl in the picture. “El. She’s his daughter. He’s kind of retired now.”

“He’s fine…” Halsey breathed in relief. “Both of them, they’re fine.”

“They’re more than that, they’re fantastic.” Will retorted. “The two of them went through hell trying to save humanity, they’ve more than earned a rest. And I’m going to be damned if I let the Didact destroy everything they’ve worked so hard to save.”

“…No.” Halsey stood up straight. “ _We’re_ not going to let him.”

Will grinned. “That’s what I’m talking about, now…” He turned back to the TARDIS console, paling slightly. “How do we fly this thing?”

Warm air bristled around Will, pushing him over to one of the panels. On the one farthest from the door, a little panel under a switch lit up, showing the text ‘Locate The Doctor.’

“Looks like the Doctor built a homing switch into the TARDIS.” Will commented. “Well…” He breathed in. “Here we go.” He said, flicking the switch.

****

Space roared overhead, blue energy crackling, as the Didact’s ship entered orbit over Earth, barrel pointed directly at the planet below.

The Didact marched around the Composer, as the Prometheans hauled two inert forms out of the machinery.

“Ah…” The Doctor took a breath, as the Promethean carrying him dropped him. “Good lord, it was stuffy in there. You Forerunners could do to install central air.”

The Didact tilted his head snarling. “You’ve not been Composed. Such inoculation should not be possible.”

“Yes, well, that’s us for you, innit?” The Doctor rhetorically asked, as Susan too got to her feet. “Lovely old impossible Time Lords, popping up when you least expect.”

“You cannot stop what has been set into motion.” The Didact stated, waving his hand. A gargantuan orange portal tore itself into existence below the Composer, the Forerunner device drawing power from it, as it shot an orange beam directly at Earth.

“On the contrary, I can stop what has been set in motion.” The Doctor rebuked angrily pointing at the Didact. “Stop your plans now, or you’ll have me to deal with.”

“And who are you, a human, to deny the right of Forerunner ascendance?” The Didact replied, as the Prometheans marched into a circle surrounding Susan and the Doctor.

“Oh, we didn’t tell him?” The Doctor asked Susan.

“We didn’t tell him.” Susan confirmed.

The Doctor chuckled, crossing his arms as he leaned nonchalantly against the wall. “I’m not human.”

The Didact’s helmet retracted, the Forerunner’s eyes narrowing at the Doctor. “Then what are you, interloper?”

The Doctor shrugged. “Eh, what I am isn’t important. _Who_ I am is.” The Doctor uncrossed his arms, pushing off the wall, as he stood proudly in front of the Didact. “I am the Doctor, and this world is under _my_ protection.”

The Didact sneered. “Then you shall share in its fate.”

The Prometheans raised their weapons.

“Hold on, hold on, hold on!” The Doctor raised his hands. “One last question, before dying.” The Doctor posed. “These Prometheans, they used to be humans. But, a big, famous, charismatic leader to the Forerunners like yourself, you could’ve gotten any soldier you wanted to join you. Why choose humans? Hell, why use living minds at all?”

The Didact stood silent for a moment. “Mankind has done nothing but sow chaos and discord throughout the galaxy. They are the ones who originally unleashed the parasite, they are the ones who chose to wage war against the Forerunners. Should they rise again, humankind will only repeat the mistakes of their forebearers. Their imprisonment will be a kindness, compared to the alternative.”

“But don’t you see?” The Doctor prompted. The Time Lord sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “Didact, you’re a noble man, I know. You’re doing this out of your beliefs, honest beliefs that humankind isn’t ready to be the caretakers this galaxy needs. And you’re right.” The Doctor said. “They’re a petty, savage, child-race, who have long been advancing too far, too fast for their own good. In fact, I’m willing to say you won’t find a species that has made more mistakes anywhere. But they have the potential to be so much more, to do so much more. Didact… I know what it’s like to be the last of your kind,” The Doctor empathized, “But you have to let go. Doing this won’t bring them back,” The Doctor gestured to the Prometheans, “It’ll only consign yet another species to extinction. And those that do survive, will be gunning for you, and it’ll all begin again. _Break_ the cycle.” The Doctor pleaded. “You have that power. Maybe not to forget, but to forgive… and move on.”

The Didact stood for a moment, unmoving. “I must do this. The war we fought-“

“Ended thousands of years ago!” The Doctor replied. “If you do this now, you’ll be slaughtering hundreds, thousands of innocent people whose only crimes were being descended from a certain lineage. And at that point… what makes _you_ any better from the warmongering humans you fought against all those millennia ago?”

“…You will not change my mind.” The Didact growled. “This must be done, for the good of the galaxy.”

The Doctor sighed regretfully. “Then I’m sorry. I’m very, very sorry…” He held up the sonic screwdriver, pressing the activator.

“I desire not your pity.” The Didact snarled.

“It wasn’t for you.” Susan said to the Didact, as the Prometheans’ circuits glitched, flashing between all colors on the spectrum.

The Didact looked around, raising his hand, giving the Prometheans the order to fire, but every last one of the constructs remained unresponsive. “What is this? What have you done?”

“A long while back, there was this AI on board a starship I helped out on, her name was EDI. Talking to her, I learned a lot about AI shackles.”

The Prometheans twitched, momentarily going dark, before their faculties returned, all of them looking towards the Didact.

“What is the meaning of this!?” The Didact demanded, as the Prometheans raised their weapons.

“I’ve done something that should’ve been done a long time ago.” The Doctor responded. “I’ve given the Prometheans back their souls.”

The transformed humans all snarled at once, the Doctor taking that as a warning as he pulled Susan down with him to the floor, as the Prometheans opened fire upon the Didact.

“Agh!” The Didact grunted in pain, as the hard-light shots impacted against his body but didn’t penetrate his armor. “Cease this at once!” He ordered, throwing out a hand, tossing some of the Prometheans in front of him off the edge, into the swirling portal below.

The act only angered the remaining Prometheans further, more teleporting in with screeching battle-cries, unloading everything they had into the Didact.

One Promethean, carrying an incineration cannon, fired off a shot at the Didact, the Forerunner commander clutching his chest in pain, staggering, as he fell over the edge, into the portal below. The Prometheans all let out a victorious screech, as the Didact vanished beyond the event horizon.

“Aha, that’s the human race for you!” The Doctor beamed, as he got to his feet, helping Susan up as well. “Indomitable!”

The Prometheans all turned to look at the Doctor and Susan.

“Ah.” The Doctor breathed, looking between the Prometheans uncomfortably.

The Prometheans all bowed their heads slightly, in respect.

“Now… To deal with this.” The Doctor stated. “How do we…?”

The Doctor’s words were drowned out, as the TARDIS began to materialize close to them. The ship solidified, and the doors were thrown open, Will and Halsey running out, Will holding the nuke in his arms.

“Will!” Susan breathed in relief, running over to him, about to hug the boy in relief.

“Yeah, I’m kinda holding a nuke, so if you’d let me go, that’d be great, thanks…” Will said, Susan sheepishly stepping back in response. “What’s going on, where’s the Didact?”

“Gone.” The Doctor answered. “Now, let me see…” The Doctor took the HAVOK nuke from Will, opening the control panel. “I’ve set it for thirty seconds, that’ll be enough time for us to get away.”

“What about the Prometheans?” Susan questioned. “We freed them, they stopped the Didact.”

The Prometheans all looked to each other, then to the nuke, and nodded.

“I think…” The Doctor swallowed. “I think this will be finally freeing them, once and for all.” The Doctor pressed the button to start the countdown. “Back inside the TARDIS, go, go!” He ordered, pushing the three in ahead of him.

The Doctor stood at the threshold of the door, turning back to look sadly at the Prometheans, giving them a thankful salute, before he shut the door, the TARDIS taking off.

All Prometheans left on the Didact’s ship teleported to the Composer’s firing chamber, as the timer kept counting down. The Prometheans all laid down their weapons, closing their eyes, as they knelt down.

The timer hit zero, and in a millisecond, the Prometheans, the Composer, and the Didact’s ship were consumed in a flash of light.

****

The TARDIS rematerialized on a lone beach, a massive gas giant hanging a vast indigo sky, the four stepping out.

“So, that’s it…” Susan slowly said. “The Didact’s gone, and so are the Prometheans. Any idea what happened on Earth?”

The Doctor thinned his lips. “I’m afraid we can make an educated guess… But,” He suddenly smiled, clapping his hands, “Enough doom and gloom, we’ve got to get you back home, Will.”

“What about me?” Halsey asked. “This isn’t my cell.”

The Doctor raised an eyebrow. “Like you’d want to go back to that hellhole?”

“No.” Halsey said.

“Didn’t think so.” The Doctor replied, looking out at the vast landscape. “You’ve done some horrible things, I know. But, you did help us out… Even if you did free the Didact. So, here.”

Halsey raised an eyebrow. “’Here’ what?”

“Here,” The Doctor threw out his arms. “I did some reading up, humans won’t get out to this planet for another seventy years. No ONI, no Covenant, you can retire here in peace.”

“In isolation.” Halsey corrected.

The Doctor nodded. “I told you you’d pay your penance. I meant it. At least here, maybe you can actually learn something, instead of rotting away in some black site.”

Halsey looked down for a moment. “Is it more than I deserve… Thank you. While we were pursing the Didact, I began thinking… And I found some writing materials inside your vessel.” She swallowed, reaching into the pocket of her lab coat, pulling out a folded sheet of paper. “When you see John…” She passed the letter off to Will. “Give this to him. Please.”

Will nodded, gently taking it from her. “I’ll make sure it gets to him in one piece.”

“Thank you.” Halsey nodded gratefully.

Will returned it one last time, before he stepped into the TARDIS, Susan following behind him.

The Doctor gave Halsey one last slightly approving gaze, before he shut the door behind him, engaging the engines. As the TARDIS dematerialized, a supply kit was left behind in its place, Halsey looking over the contents.

It was everything she’d need to survive, perhaps even thrive, on her own.

Halsey looked to the sky, and for the first time in many, many years, felt free.


	25. Interlude: The Joining

Will flinched, as a light shone into his eyes. He was sitting on his bed onboard the TARDIS, as the Doctor set the controls for the ship to take them to their next destination.

“Stop moving.” Susan ordered, as she looked him over.

“Susan, I’m telling you,” Will gently pushed the light away, “I feel fine.”

“Will,” Susan leveled with him, grabbing onto his shoulders. “You had your body hijacked by aliens, _twice_. You shouldn’t be fine; you should be terrified out of your damn mind.”

Will let out a sigh. “I’ve been having to deal with aliens hijacking my mind since Halloween of ’84.” He responded. “Don’t worry, I’ve gotten used to it.”

“You shouldn’t be used to it!” Susan retorted.

“Well, if there’s a way to fix it, I’m all ears!” Will threw out his arms, and Susan fell silent. “That’s what I thought.”

“Well…” Susan bit her lower lip. “There might be a way.”

“What?” Will asked.

“Your brain, it’s kind of like a radio, picking up signals from all over the place.” Susan shifted her weight. “Any ‘channel’ it can pick up, it’s going to.”

“Alright…” Will followed along slowly. “What are you suggesting?”

“Time Lords, we’re telepathic.” Susan twiddled her fingers. “And I’ve always been an especially strong telepath, even for us. I can create a link between you and me.” She explained. “It’ll be like… your ‘radio’ will be tuned to my ‘channel’ all the time, preventing the stray signals from taking over.”

Will blinked. “You’re going to possess me?”

“No!” Susan quickly waved her hands in denial. “No! No, no, no, no, no! I’d never, never, ever, do that to you!” She said. “This will be more like a… bond. Our minds, they’ll be joined. We’d be able to communicate, no matter how vast the distance, and if you didn’t want me getting into a certain part of your mind, you’d be able to keep me out. We’d be equal, I wouldn’t be dominating your will like the Shadow Monster, or the Librarian, or the Didact.”

“And…” Will looked to her. “I wouldn’t have to worry about my mind being hijacked again?”

“No.” Susan said. “Whatever wants to possess you would have to go through me first.”

Will slowly nodded. “And the Doctor… What does he think?”

“Well, um, he…” Susan shifted uncomfortably. “I haven’t told him anything about it.”

“What?” Will’s eyebrows shot up.

“The kind of bond I’m talking about, it’s… Well, it’s important.” Susan coughed. “Something you’re only supposed to form with one other Time Lord, for the rest of your days. Something…”

Will’s eyes widened. “What, is this like a sacred thing?”

“Kind of.” Susan rubbed the back of her neck. “It’s also not something we’re really supposed to discuss with outsiders.”

Will tilted his head minutely. “Then why tell me?”

“Because, you’re part of the crew now.” Susan smiled gently. “And my friend.”

“Friend…” Will repeated. “Yeah.” He smiled at her. “Okay, what do I have to do?”

“Just… Sit still.” She swallowed, sitting down next to him, as she pressed her hands to his temples. “Now… I’m going to need you to be completely open.”

“Open?” Will repeated. “As in… no secrets?”

Susan smiled understandingly. “If it helps, I can’t hide anything from you, either. Both of us need to keep our minds open in order for the link to form properly, otherwise,” She shrugged. “What’s the point?”

Will blinked. “This thing is serious, isn’t it?”

“…It’s normally only done with two people who trust each other completely.” Susan blushed. “Now, are you ready?”

Will nodded.

“Close your eyes…” Susan directed.

Both sets of eyes closed. Will could feel Susan’s mind brushing up against his probingly. Very old, very kind, and very gentle, and he let her in.

In that moment, there was no longer Will Byers or Susan Foreman, just one mind, spread between two bodies.

****

_He (she) cowered in his (her) room, desperately trying to drown out the fighting between his (her) mother and father with the music Jonathan had introduced him (her) to._

_He (she) runs through the darkened streets of his (her) hometown, being chased by a monster from the pits of Hell itself. He (she) runs into the shed and is saved by a titanic figure in green armor diving through the wall._

_He (she) experiences another anxiety attack, the nightmarish horror eating away at his (her) very soul, as an intelligence unlike anything humanity had seen before invaded his (her) being, intent on making a new puppet._

_He (she) feels the pricking on the back of his (her) neck, as the monster from the Halloween before returns, intent on killing him (her) and his (her) friends._

_He (she) meets the woman in the forest, and he (she especially) recoils in surprise._

_He (she) feels the burning, the agony, of the monster as it kicks and spasms, the doorway to its world shut once more, the Earth saved._

_He (she) wakes up one morning, only to be touched by a Weeping Angel. He (she) wanders around New York, until he (she) sees her, and he (she) feels relieved._

_****_

_She (he) falls off the cliff, previous self burned away to make way for the next. She (he) is subjected to cruel experiments by her (his) own mother, all in the name of scientific progress, until one day, she (he) is saved by three people, Rassilon, Omega, and the Other._

_The Other takes her (him) in, raising the child as his own, but trying to maintain an aura of distance by having her (him) refer to him as ‘grandfather.’_

_The Other throws himself into the Loom, and she (he) is left alone. Until the Other returns, calling himself by another name, with a new face and fashion sense to match._

_The Doctor takes her (him) into the future. She (he) meets the true reincarnation of her (his) grandfather, and they stop the Harvest of the Milky Way together._

_They retire to Coal Hill, until she (he) dies again on a Slitheen starship trying to flee from Earth, her previous self, elven features burning away once more to make way for the new one._

_They return to Gallifrey, they lose River, but they meet someone new. Ace. She (he) rather likes Ace. She (he) doesn’t say love. It can never work out between a Time Lord and a human._

_Ace dies, and her (his) entire being is wracked with grief and guilt. The Doctor moves on, because he must, and she (he) does the same, because there is no way to survive if she (he) does not._

_She (he) loses track of the time, but eventually, they end up in New York._

_She (he) starts to heal._

****

Susan and Will inhaled sharply, as her hand slowly dropped, and the contact broke.

Will swallowed, breathing returning to normal. “So… Did it work?”

Susan drew her lips into a line. _‘I don’t know, what do you think?’_

Will’s eyes widened slightly. “Your mouth didn’t move. But I heard you… You’re not a ventriloquist, are you?”

 _‘No.’_ Susan shook her head.

“Oh my God, I can hear you!” Will replied. “In my mind!”

_‘Cool, right? Try it. Don’t say anything, just… think.’_

“Alright.” Will nodded, shutting up, as he focused. _‘Hello? Can you hear me?’_

Susan grinned, eyes twinkling. _‘Yep! Congratulations Will Byers, you’ve unlocked the ultimate power… being able to tell inside jokes with no one the wiser!’_

 _‘Oho… This is_ cool. _’_ Will laughed mentally.

Susan nodded in agreement, smile still plastered on her face. _‘Real cool.’_

 _‘I do have one question.’_ Will thought to Susan. _‘If I don’t want you to hear my thoughts, how do I do that?’_

 _‘Hm… How to explain mental shields…’_ Susan furrowed her brow. _‘Well, the benefit of having a telepathic bond is I can just share that information with you.’_

Will blinked, as he suddenly found the information flowing into his mind, like he’d known it his entire life. He gave the information a quick test, bringing up an imaginary wall around his mind.

“And,” Susan spoke aloud, now that Will’s mental shields were up, “It’ll keep out anything else trying to get inside your head.”

“That’s…” Will began. “I can’t thank you enough.”

Susan smiled. “Don’t mention it. You’ve been through a lot Will… Maybe too much. If I can help you with that, I will.” The room fell into a silence for a few breathless seconds, as Susan’s eyes flickered down to Will’s lips.

She began to slowly lean in…

The door was suddenly kicked open, the Doctor coming running in, both teenagers practically jumping twenty feet into the air.

“Guys, stop everything!” The Doctor gestured frantically.

Susan held a hand over her chest, as she pulled back from Will, looking like she was holding back a heart attack, as Will began to register what had almost happened with a blush. “What are you doing!?”

“I just got a message, from Shepard!” The Doctor replied. “She needs our help!”

Susan shot to her feet. “Grandmother? Well, mother, I suppose. What’s going on?”

“I don’t know, she didn’t say.” The Doctor replied. “But come on, we have to move quickly!” He rushed back out, running towards the console room.

Susan looked to Will, the teenager shrugging.

She sighed, and both of them moved to follow the Doctor, towards the next adventure.


	26. Eastbound and Down

The TARDIS materialized on a sandy beach, the Santa Monica Pier extending out into the water just behind, as the Doctor came sprinting out despite his cane, followed by Susan and Will, who were moving much more slowly.

“Shepard!” The Doctor shouted, running over to the blonde woman in the striped blue shirt, grey-blue overcoat, with yellow suspenders. “I got here as fast as I could, what’s happening!? The Reapers!? Cerberus!? The ‘good’ Daleks of this reality have finally turned evil and are now launching a total conquest upon the universe!?”

“No, to all three of those.” Shepard responded with a thick northern-England accent, probably Yorkshire or something like that, laughing at the Time Lord’s frantic antics. “Oh, it’s good to see you again.” She smiled, pulling him into a hug.

The Doctor blinked. “Sorry… Doctor very confused, Doctor very lost.”

“I’ll explain in a second.” Shepard said, releasing him, turning to the girl approaching the Doctor’s side. Her head tilted, and her eyebrows furrowed, eyes widening slightly. “Susan?”

Susan smiled shyly, waving. “Hello, mum.”

Shepard beamed, pulling Susan into a hug as well. She frowned, pulling back slightly. “Did you call me mum?”

Susan sheepishly grimaced. “Yeah… There was some business that went down on Gallifrey, and, well… Let’s just say, I figured that you and the Doctor were really more regular parents to me than grandparents.”

“Oh, Susan…” Shepard breathed, like Susan’s statement made the woman’s whole world. “I’m so happy to hear that.” Shepard turned to Will, still smiling, but it became confused. “Forgive me, but I don’t think I’ve met this one before.”

“Oh, mother, this is Will.” Susan introduced. “Will, this is my… Well, it’s complicated, but in any case, this is Shepard.”

“Hi.” Shepard vigorously shook Will’s hand. “I’m the version of the Doctor native to this version of reality, who diverged when my brother abandoned me on Earth, and I was taken in by humans.”

Will blinked confusedly. “Okay…”

“You understand, great!” Shepard smiled happily. “But, um, where’s River?”

“She um…” Susan bit her lower lip “It’s a long story.”

The mood turned sober, and Shepard looked for an avenue out. “Oh, Doctor, Susan, Will, these are my current traveling companions,” She moved to the side slightly, “Clara Oswald,” She gestured to the shorter brunette woman, “And Danny Pink.” She motioned to the stubbled man in a denim jacket.

“Yes, yes, it’s very nice to meet you two,” The Doctor directed to the two traveling with Shepard, “But you said it was an emergency?”

“Emergency?” Shepard repeated. “Did I say emergency? I meant… a very desperate situation that I needed your help with.” She coughed.

The Doctor raised an eyebrow. “That typically constitutes the definition of emergency, yes.”

“Well, uh…” Shepard gestured. “Look behind you.”

The three from the Doctor’s TARDIS raised an eyebrow and turned around.

There, parked just behind the Doctor’s blue Police Box TARDIS, was yet another disguised as a red Police Box, with three cars parked around it. One was a Pontiac Trans Am designed to look like KITT from Knight Rider. Another was a 1969 Dodge Charger done up to resemble the General Lee. And the third was a DeLorean, modified to resemble the time machine from back to the future.

The Doctor blinked. “Is there a car show going on?”

“No,” Shepard shook her head, “Danny,” She jerked her thumb in the man’s direction. “Said it wasn’t possible to drive across the US in less than four days in a car that wasn’t a time machine.”

“It isn’t.” Danny himself insisted. “Trust me, I’ve had family who’ve come here on holiday, they said it took them five days to drive across the place.”

“So I said,” Shepard put back in, “It was possible to do it in two. So then, it became a race.” She outlined. “Trying to see which one of us can get from here to Atlanta first.”

“Ah.” Susan nodded. “And the cars?”

“Well,” Clara shifted, signaling that she was the one who evidently came up with the idea. “I figured, American road trip, why not use classic American cars, right?”

“And then it became classic cars from American film and TV.” Shepard stated, walking over to the three cars. “Not that I’m complaining…” She murmured, running an appreciative hand over the stainless-steel paneling of the DeLorean.

“And, um,” Will raised a hand, “How do we figure into this?”

“Well, I figured since I’m a Time Lord and we can go for much longer periods without having to sleep, that gave me an unfair advantage.” Shepard explained. “So, I decided, get some more people in, split into teams, and drivers can swap out. You know, to make things even.”

“So, let me get this right,” The Doctor held up a hand, “You practically blew up the TARDIS phone trying to get in touch with me, all because you want to have a _race_?”

Shepard shrugged. “Yes?”

“…Alright, I’m in.” The Doctor stated.

“Wait, hold on, what?” Susan directed to the Doctor.

“Well, things have been a bit hectic lately.” The Doctor began, “I think a good-old fashioned road-trip could be just the thing we need to let off some steam.”

“Right,” Susan muttered crossing her arms, “Get people crammed into a single car for hours and hours until they’re at each other’s throats, positively relaxing.”

“That’s exactly what I mean, I’m glad you agree!” The Doctor patted Susan on the back. “So, how should we do this? Boys against girls, eh?” He gently elbowed Danny in suggestion.

“I was thinking more along the lines of Time Lords who are older than five-hundred versus boys, versus girls.” Shepard suggested.

“Oh, you don’t want me going up against you?” The Doctor grinned suggestively.

“Not anywhere that doesn’t have damage control.” Shepard answered, grinning as well. “Susan, you’ll go with Clara.” She pointed to the shorter woman climbing into the Trans Am. “Will, that leaves you with Danny.” She said, as the man climbed into the Charger.

“B-but hold on, Will and I, we were going to-“ Susan stuttered.

“There’ll be time for whatever it is later!” Shepard hopped up and down impatiently. “Come on, Susan, it’ll be fun… And afterwards, even if you lose, I’ll give you a big tub of chocolate ice cream.”

“…Tastes change between regenerations.” Susan tried to rebuke.

“Really?” Shepard questioned sarcastically.

“…Okay, not that much!” Susan yelped, before running off to join Clara. She hopped in, the door slamming shut as the engine turned over, the car’s tires spinning and kicking up sand as it peeled away.

“See you at the finish line!” Clara taunted out the window, as the car hit the asphalt, tearing off into the distance.

“…I hope they have psychic paper on them, because if they get pulled over, they’re fucked.” Shepard commented, pulling the gull-wing door of her chosen car open, the Doctor flopping down in the passenger seat.

“So long, suckers!” The Doctor shouted as the DeLorean took off in pursuit of Clara and Susan.

Will looked to the General Lee with a grin overtaking his face, as he began sprinting over to the car, hopping up to climb in through the window.

“You know the doors work, right?” Danny asked, as he cranked the car up.

“Oh, I know.” Will grinned, as he fastened his seatbelt. “I’ve just wanted to do that my whole life.”

Danny laughed. “You and me too, kid!” He put the car into gear, and slammed his foot down on the gas, sand flying into the air as the car peeled away, leaving the two TARDISes on the beach.

 _“…Children, the lot of them.”_ The Doctor’s TARDIS said to Shepard’s TARDIS.

 _“Any bets on who’s going to win?”_ Shepard’s TARDIS asked.

 _“Hmm…”_ The Doctor’s TARDIS gave it a moment’s consideration. _“Clara and Susan, I’m definitely going with those two.”_

_“I’ll take that action.”_

_“Then you’re on.”_

****

“Map, map… Aaha!” Will looked through the glovebox, pulling out a thin paper map. He blinked, upon realizing there were three arrows on the map moving in real-time. “What the hell…”

“Shepard said the cars were technically part of the TARDIS.” Danny explained over the roaring wind. “That includes the maps. How do we get onto the motorway?”

“Right, okay, it should be…” Will held up the map to the sunlight, it being immediately yanked out of his hands and sucked out of the car by the wind. “Ah.” He turned to Danny; hands frozen like he was still holding the map. “You got a phone?”

****

“Where’s that woman going?” Clara question, as Shepard’s DeLorean veered off down a street on the right.

Susan inhaled. “The interstate!” She grabbed Clara’s phone, glaring at the screen in frustration. “You’ve got this thing set to take us on the regular roads!”

 _‘Slower traffic to the right, please!’_ Will laughed through the link, as his and Danny’s car passed them by.

 _‘Oh, you think that’s funny!? You’re going the wrong way!’_ Susan retorted.

 _‘Nah, we’re just taking the scenic route. The express way’s for losers!’_ Will taunted. _‘See y’all in Vegas!’_

Susan gritted her teeth, as Will’s laugh filled her mind, Clara scrambling to find the right on-ramp.

****

“Tea?” The Doctor offered, holding a small place with a cup on it in front of Shepard, the two Time Lords taking it calmly as they tore down the highway.

“Ooh!” Shepard took the cup, taking a sip. “Where’d you get this?”

“I’m very good with managing pocket space.” The Doctor answered.

Shepard glanced between him and the road. “You got any Jaffa Cakes in there?”

“For you?” The Doctor grinned, pulling out a box from his pockets. “Always.”

Shepard chuckled. “You know how to treat a woman; I’ll give you that.” She said, dipping a Jaffa Cake into her tea, before taking a bite.

“I know a thing or two.” The Doctor replied. “So… You traveling with people… When did that happen?”

Shepard’s eyes flickered over to the Doctor. “I thought you’d be happy I found someone.”

“I am.” The Doctor replied. “I’m just curious. The last time I saw you was our dinner on board the TARDIS. You hadn’t traveled with anyone since-“

“Eyebrows, yes!” Shepard recalled with a laugh. “Ah… Good old Amy and Rory.”

The Doctor’s head whipped over to Shepard. “Amy and Rory _Pond_!?”

“Right!” Shepard smiled. “You know them!?”

“…Back home, I did.” The Doctor straightened his bow tie. “Why’d you stop traveling with them?”

“Well, this one time, we had all gathered up in their house for Christmas, and someone just left a baby on their front porch!”

“A baby!?” The Doctor repeated.

“I know, right!?” Shepard agreed. “Anyway, we tried hunting the poor girl’s parents down, we didn’t turn anything up, so the Ponds decided to take her in. Little Melody.”

“Melody Pond…” The Doctor reflected with a smile. “Name fit for a superhero.”

“That’s what Amy said!” Shepard chortled.

“Great minds,” The Doctor tapped his head.

“Right…” Shepard nodded. Her laughs died down, as she focused back on the road. “In the end, it became a choice of taking care of the baby or staying aboard the TARDIS.”

“…I’m sorry.” The Doctor sympathized.

Shepard drew in her lips. “They made the right choice. So,” She swallowed, changing the subject. “Will Byers… Is there a story behind that?”

The Doctor’s eyes flickered over for a split second. “You know?”

“Doctor, I’m not stupid. I’ve watched Netflix.” Shepard retorted. “How the _hell_ did that happen?”

“I, uh…” The Doctor scratched the back of his head. “I surfed a Vortex Wave without thinking one time, punching a hole into his universe, before later taking him aboard at Susan’s behest?”

Shepard looked at him in disdain. “Really? I would expect that much from a junior Time Lord, not-“

“The road, Shepard, the road!” The Doctor yelled, pointing as their car got a bit too close to the rear bumper of the next.

Shepard slammed on the brakes, moving back to a safe distance. “See? Fine.” She glanced back at the Doctor. “So… I noticed the two were shooting other a lotta looks, know anything about that?”

“…I have absolutely no idea.” The Doctor denied, straightening his bow tie, implying quite the opposite.

“You do, you do know!” Shepard laughed. “So, are you worried? The two of them, teenagers, one being a Gallifreyan with more stamina than the entire human race combined, the other one a human male.”

“Absolutely not.” The Doctor huffed like the idea was preposterous. “I have full confidence both of them would never.”

“Hm… You should be more worried, unless… Oh my God, you ship it, don’t you!?”

“Ship?” The Doctor repeated incredulously. “I’m not shipping anyone anywhere! Where would I send them to?”

Shepard sighed. “Smartest man alive… And yet, the obliviousness of a five-year old. Oh, wait, I know!” Shepard pointed. “’Eleven’ refers to your mental age!”

The Doctor sarcastically laughed.

“Oh…” Shepard sighed cheerfully. “This trip’s gonna be fun.”


	27. Eastbound and Down, Part Two

“Cactus, cactus, rock, tumbleweed, coyote…” Susan sighed. “I expected a lot more wacky hijinks on this road trip. I wanted wacky hijinks, I’m bored.”

Four hours had passed since the three cars departed Santa Monica, each duo having long since split up.

Clara glanced at her. “You really are the Doctor’s child.”

Susan shrugged bashfully. “Well…” She sighed, turning back to look out of the window.

“Well, I guess we’re going to have make our own wacky hijinks then.” Clara replied. “Where’re Will and Danny headed?”

“Let’s see…” Susan reached into the glovebox, pulling a map out of the glovebox. “Yep, they’re stopped off in Vegas.”

“We’re five minutes out, let’s see if we can catch up to them.”

“And when we catch up, what are we going to do?” Susan asked.

Clara grinned mischievously.

****

Will and Danny came striding out of a McDonalds, having taken the time to stretch their legs, before entering their car again. Danny slid the keys into the ignition, and cranked the car, the radio suddenly blaring as the dulcet tones of Conway Twitty came blaring out of the speakers full blast.

“Ah, son of a goddamn-!” Will pressed his hands to his ears. “Turn it off!”

“I’m trying.” Danny replied, trying to twist the knob. “It’s stuck.”

“Well, take the CD out!”

“The button’s not…” Danny scowled, pressing every button on the radio. “The whole radio’s been glued!”

“Who the hell-?” Will looked over, seeing Clara and Susan’s Trans Am. Susan giggled, theatrically waving, as they peeled away. You… You…”

 _‘Struggling to come up with an insult there, Will?’_ Susan chuckled, as the other car vanished into the distance.

“Oh… We are so going to get those two back.” Will vowed.

****

The Doctor blinked as he looked at the map, the other two cars significantly behind them. “We’re going to win? That’s… kind of boring. I thought’d it be more neck-and-neck.”

“Well, of course we’re going to win.” Shepard said like anything else would’ve been out of the norm. “But since we have quite the sizable lead…” She turned to the Doctor. “There’s a Motel 6 nearby.”

The Doctor raised an eyebrow. “Why would we stop at a motel in the middle of the day?”

“You know… I’m a woman, you’re a man, we both have certain itches no one else can scratch…”

The Doctor spluttered. “A-Are you propositioning me!?” He went red.

“You know it!” Shepard grinned.

“Is there _really_ nothing better you can think of doing?”

“Nope! Whaddya say?”

“Absolutely not!”

“…I’ll give you a bag of Jelly Babies.”

The Doctor looked affronted. “I’m not prostituting myself out to you!”

“…I’ll make sure they’re all cherry flavoured.”

The Doctor sighed. “Alright, pull over.”

****

“…Alright, so, the two of ‘em have stopped.” Clara looked out onto the DeLorean parked in the parking lot. “Bit weird to check into a hotel in the middle of the day, but whatever. Come on. How good are you with electronics?”

“I dabble.” Susan answered. “Why, what’s your idea?”

“You ever watch Back to the Future?”

Susan huffed. “Of course. It’s practically required reading for time travelers.”

“Alright, so, you know the part in the movie when the time machine works for the first time, and Doc Brown’s yelling about 88 miles per hour?”

“Yeah…?”

“Well, would it be possible to rig something up so whenever the speedometer hits 88, it plays that at max volume?”

Susan grinned mischievously. “You’re devious, Oswald, I like the way you think.”

Across the way, two others were making schemes of their own.

“No one’s safe from their tyranny.” Will mumbled, watching Clara and Susan run across the parking lot to the DeLorean.

“Come on.” Danny whispered to Will, running across the way. Danny glanced around, before pulling the driver side door open, going to pull the hood release. He quickly moved around to the front of the car, and pulled the hood up, looking at the engine. “Time for surgery.”

****

Clara and Susan giggled as Shepard and the Doctor came walking back out to their car, Shepard beaming positively, with the Doctor holding a thousand-yard stare.

The two Time Lords climbed into their car, the Doctor getting into the drivers’ side, before speeding away.

“Do you think they’re going to push it that fast?” Susan inquired.

Clara held up a finger, as the car in the distance suddenly swerved, the muffled sound echoing into the distance.

The two laughed, as Shepard’s booming ‘What the hell!?’ echoed towards them.

The two high-fived each other, before going back to their car, before pulling away.

A little way on down the road, Susan frowned, trying to fiddle with the vents, as beads of sweat began to drip from her skin. “Is the AC on?”

“Full-blast.” Clara answered frowning.

“It’s not.” Susan waved a hand in front of the vents.

“It is!”

Susan sighed in frustration. “Pop the hood.” She ordered, Clara pulling over to do so.

Susan walked around to the front of the car, pulling the hood up.

She began to go red, as she saw a note strapped to what remained of the AC compressor, cut lines and wires making it apparent the device hadn’t just broken on its own.

 _“Y’alls taste in music sucks.”_ Was penned out in Will’s messy scrawl.

****

“Ha ha!” Will laughed as Susan’s frustration rippled through the psychic link. “I wish I could see their faces!”

“Ditto!” Danny agreed. “I can’t-“

A siren echoed, as red and blue flashing glistened in the rearview mirrors.

“Uh… Dan, how fast were we going?” Will asked, balking.

Danny gulped. “100… In a fifty-five.”

“Shit!” Will cursed. “Floor it!”

“You want me to what!?”

“You don’t have an American drivers’ license, remember!?” Will retorted.

“Aw, hell…” Danny cursed. “Hold on!” He twisted the wheel, the car veering off the road into the desert sand.

“What are you doing!?” Will demanded.

“You were the one who wanted to run!” Danny retorted, the car bouncing as it drove across the uneven terrain, the cop car trying to keep up.

“Yeah, _on_ the road!”

“Relax!” Danny instructed. “He’ll get sick of following us, we can get back on the road later, and he’ll forget about us.”

“We’re driving a replica of the General Lee! You don’t forget seeing this kind of car!”

“Right.” Danny glanced back at Will. “You know what that means, right?”

“What?”

“Being chased by the law, in this car… it’s just like Dukes of Hazzard!”

Will blinked. “Oh my God, you’re right!” He laughed. “Well… Might as well roll with it.”

Danny nodded in agreement. “Yeehaw!” He yelled in an over-the-top imitation of a southern accent, as he pressed the pedal down harder.

-****

“What are those Neanderthals doing?” Shepard wondered, looking at the paper map in her hands.

The Doctor, behind the drivers’ seat, glanced at her. “Neanderthal!? You shouldn’t talk about Susan like that-“

“No, Will and Danny.” She pointed to the orange arrow. She bit her lower lip, tapping on the arrow twice, the map changing to show an overhead view of the car like it was being streamed live. “Oh, they’re running from the cops. Welp,” She folded up the map, tucking it away, “Every idiot for themselves.”

“Hey, that’s mean.”

“You’ll note I included both of us in that statement.”

“Ah, right.” The Doctor bristled indignantly. “Hey, I’m not an idiot!”

Shepard shrugged. “You’ve had your moments.”

“Oh, ha ha.” The Doctor sarcastically replied. “Regular comedian, you are.”


	28. Eastbound and Down, Part Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Really, really sorry about the length for this one. I don't usually have these written up in advance, and I have other priorities I do have to focus on.

“Dallas…” The Doctor remarked, looking at the sign as they approached the city. “Loved that show.”

Shepard raised an eyebrow. “You watch American soap operas?”

“No…” The Doctor bristled. At Shepard’s look, he rolled his eyes. “It was a slow day on the TARDIS, okay!”

Shepard shook her head. “Anyway, once we get onto I-20, it should be smooth sailing from here to Atlanta.”

“Great, you jinxed it.” The Doctor muttered.

“I didn’t jinx it!”

“How do _you_ know?” The Doctor retorted. “It’s always the same! Someone says, ‘oh, everything’s fine,’ and then immediately, everything decidedly _isn’t_ fine!”

Shepard rolled her eyes, as the Doctor’s phone buzzed, and she grabbed it so he wouldn’t take his eyes off the road. “Relax. It’s not like-’” Shepard blinked, reading the contact name at the top of the text message. “How many celebrities do you have in your contacts list?”

The Doctor tried to snatch the phone away. “Don’t worry, none of your concern!”

Shepard pulled back, still reading the screen. “Oh, wow, this girl’s really freaking out. Apparently, she thinks we kidnapped someone.” Shepard blinked. “We didn’t kidnap anyone, did we?”

“….No…?” The Doctor replied. “What does kidnapping have to do with it?”

“Apparently, there’re pictures of Will in the car floating about all over the place.” Shepard answered.

The Doctor paled. “Oh God, she’s going to kill me… Wait, tell her I had absolutely nothing to do with anything!”

Shepard sent the response, eyebrows shooting up when the contact replied. “Oh, she knows it was you because… Oh, wow, that’s a lot of swears. I’d expect that out of a Scottish sailor, not-“

“Ah!” The Doctor slammed on the brakes, as Will and Danny’s car came tearing across the intersection, followed by an absolutely massive cluster of squad cars. “They got here before us? Oh, that’s a lot of cop cars…”

“Oh my God, they’re dead men.” Shepard breathed. “I’ve seen a weaker response going after drug lords, there’s no way in hell they’re going to make it to Atlanta.”

****

“Gah!” Will grunted as the back of the car was hit by an accelerating police cruiser. “Jesus, these Charles Bronson motherfuckers aren’t giving up, are they!?”

“They’re cops, it’s literally what they’re paid to do!” Danny retorted, as the cops tried ramming them off the road again. “Oh, hell…” He paled, as he witnessed the roadblock up ahead.

“Turn around!” Will ordered.

“I can’t!” Danny replied. “Do you not see the concrete divider in the middle of the road!”

“Well, we can’t ram them!” Will balked.

Danny blinked. “Who says we can’t?”

“Oh, no.” Will paled. “No! No, no, no, no, no!”

“Yeeeee!” Danny yelled, as he pressed down on the gas, engine rumbling as they demolished the roadblock. “I’d like to see these guys do that!”

Something next to them shimmered, another car pulling up alongside. The DeLorean’s window rolled down, the Doctor gesturing for Will to roll down his.

“What the hell are you two doing!?” The Doctor demanded.

“Reenacting Grand Theft Auto, what does it look like we’re doing!?” Will shot back.

“It _looks_ like you’ve got every cop in the state chasing after you!”

“And now you, because you decided to butt in!” Will pointed out.

“Oh… Oh my giddy aunt!” The Doctor realized, as the cops began to pursue his car as well.

“Run! Run!” Will yelled, rolling up the window, as the cops began to fire off potshots at them.

****

Susan giggled, looking at the phone screen, watching the chase unfold before reclining back leisurely. “There’s no way they’re going to make it to Atlanta before us. Chocolate ice cream, here we come.”


	29. Eastbound and Down, Part Four

“Georgia… About damn time.” Will muttered, slumping down in the seat, blinking away sleep. The second night had begun to fall but the cops were still hot on their tails, though half had broken off to pursue Shepard and the Doctor. “Let’s see, we’re coming via 20, so this should be Waco… Atlanta’s only an hour out.”

Danny glanced at Will, yawning. “How’d you know so much about Georgia?”

“I have a cousin who lives down this way, Shawn.” Will answered. “Damn near the only redeeming person on my dad’s side of the family.”

“Hey, you could pop in for a visit.” Danny suggested.

“Nah, he lives on the other side of the state.” Will replied. “Where’re the others, do you think?”

“God only knows.”

****

“Augh, run!” Shepard screamed, grabbing onto the dash for dear life, as the car tore its way through a thick cotton field, sheriff cars trampling the plants in pursuit. “For God’s sake, drive!”

“We’re in a DeLorean!” The Doctor retorted, “Not _exactly_ an off-roading vehicle!”

“We wouldn’t have to be off-roading if you hadn’t decided to join in on Will and Danny’s little police chase!”

“Well, who’s idea was it before that to stop for a little hanky-panky!?” The Doctor retorted. “Honestly, help me out here, I’m a bit stumped!”

“Fuck you!”

“You did, that’s the problem!”

“Oh…” Shepard spluttered, crossing her arms as the car hit a bump. “Go to hell.”

****

“Thirty minutes out…” Clara commented, looking at the ETA on her phone’s screen.

“Thirty minutes…” Susan shifted in her seat.

Clara turned to her, frowning. “You alright?”

Susan let out a sigh. “No, no I’m not. Two days of being away from Will, gave me time to think… What if I’ve made a colossal mistake?”

“Um…” Clara blinked. “What sort of mistake?”

“…Forget it, it’s my own fault.” Susan bristled.

“Hey, you brought it up, not me.” Clara replied. “You know what I think that means? I think you’re dying to talk about it. If you’re going to keep bottling it up, it’s going to explode at the wrong place at the wrong time.”

“…You’re very persistent.”

Clara shrugged. “I’m a schoolteacher. So, you wanna lay it on me?”

Susan sighed. “I did something… Something bad.”

Clara raised an eyebrow.

“Will…” Susan rubbed her hands together awkwardly. “I kind of…” She swallowed, mumbling something.

“I’m sorry?”

“I… bonded to him.” Susan explained.

“Bonded?” Clara repeated. “Isn’t that good? Bonding time is the key to maintaining friendships.”

“No not that kind of bonding.” Susan replied. “Gallifreyans are a telepathic species, we can create bonds to each other. Or, if you’re very good, with non-Gallifreyans.”

“Okay… still not seeing a problem here.”

Susan sighed. “We’re not supposed to do it with just anyone. See, because our entire appearances and personalities can change at the drop of a hat, most relationships don’t survive that kind of turmoil. So, Gallifreyan marriages, they’re a bit more hardcore than others. You’re only supposed to marry one who you’re absolutely, positively sure you want to spend the rest of your regenerations with… Hence the bond, it makes it more bearable.”

“Oh my God…” Clara turned to Susan briefly, before looking back at the highway. “You bonded with Will, and that means the two of you are _married_!?”

“Well…” Susan brushed a stray hair away. “I’m not sure if it’d hold up in a court, but according to custom… yeah?”

“Not that I’m your caretaker or anything, but what the hell!?”

“I was desperate, okay!?” Susan retorted. “I wanted to help him!”

“Marrying someone without them having full knowledge of the ramifications probably isn’t helping.” Clara replied. “Then again, I accidentally got married to Da Vinci myself, so…”

“I just wanted to help…” Susan mumbled downcast, looking down. “I’ve seen what he’s been through… Will needs… he just needs a break from all the hell he’s been put through. And after Ace…” Susan planted her face in her hands. “I wanted someone to travel with again, now I’m clinging to him like a desperate girlfriend!”

“Well… You didn’t do this to hurt him, or be cruel, right?”

“I didn’t.” Susan confirmed.

“Then talk to him.” Clara recommended. “The two of you are teenagers, with your whole lives ahead of you.”

“But the bond isn’t something I can break… not until one of us is dead.”

“You don’t have to take it that far, but just talk to him.” Clara elaborated. “Give him the full story. He’s going to be a lot more angry if he has to find out from someone else in the future, than from you.”

“I don’t know… There’s going to be awkward questions.” Susan swallowed.

“What could be more awkward then explaining to someone you married someone without them knowing?”

“Him asking why I’d go so far to help him…”

“…Oh God, you like him don’t you?”

“He’s nice, and unlike most human males, he tends to think with the head on his shoulders.” Susan defended blushing. “Please, can we let this drop? Atlanta’s only a few more minutes away, and I don’t want to show up to the finish line looking like a tomato.”

****

Tearing down I-20, Will and Danny’s car deftly outmaneuvered the police, coming to a tangle of off-ramps.

“That one!” Will pointed to the exit.

“What!?”

“The finish line is Atlanta City Hall, take that ramp!” Will ordered, pointing again.

The car’s tires squealed and smoked as Danny veered towards the ramp, charging down the exit.

Quickly checking traffic, Danny floored it once more, charging out onto the street towards the state capital building.

“Alright, go down to Mitchell, take a right, and we’ll be right there!”

“What are we going to do about the cops!?” Danny questioned.

“I don’t know, just drive!” Will ordered, being thrown around in his seat as the car veered down the right. “There it is, gold top! And…”

He blinked, as the replica KITT sat patiently waiting for them.

_‘You do have my permission to say bollocks.’_

“Well…” Danny began, trying to look on the bright side. “At least we beat Shepard here.”

****

“Hey, Shepard?” The Doctor asked, standing in ankle-high water as he struggled to push the DeLorean out of the water, back to some semblance of traction. “Why am I, the guy with the cane, pushing, while you, the woman with two perfectly functioning legs, is sitting down?”

“You got us into this mess, so you’re paying for it!”

“I got us away from the trigger-happy American cops!” The Doctor retorted.

“Less talking, more pushing!”


	30. Interlude: Talk

“God!” The Doctor spat theatrically, pushing the doors to the TARDIS open, striding inside purposefully despite his waterlogged boots. “If I ever have to do anything like that for her again, it’ll be too soon!”

“It was just a race,” Susan pointed out, entering behind him.

“Yeah, a fun one.” Will agreed, pushing the door shut behind him.

“Oh, it was far more than a race.” The Doctor pointed. “It was a loss of dignity on my part so severe, I may never recover!”

“It wasn’t that bad.” Susan crossed her arms.

“…Okay, no, it wasn’t, but still!” The Doctor pointed. “I’m the Doctor, there are far more important things for me to deal with than…” He lowered his voice unpleasantly. “Booty calls.”

“B-booty-“ Will repeated, spluttering, “ _What!?”_

“Father…” Susan affixed him with a disappointed look. “You didn’t.”

“It was Shepard’s idea, not mine!” The Doctor insisted, quickly setting the TARDIS into motion. “This was all part of her honey trap! Lure us in with the promises of a cross-country race, then stop off by a motel that just so ‘happens’ to be on the highway for a horizontal tango! That woman is devious, devious I tell you!”

Susan shivered. “I’m… going to need some bleach to wipe that image from my mind.” She said, walking down the stairs into one of the corridors. “Call me when you’re done talking about my parents having sex!”

****

Several hours passed, the TARDIS drifting aimlessly through the Time Vortex, allowing the occupants to get some rest before plopping down in their next destination.

Will sat a model car down on his dresser. Well, model, it was more like the actual car he and Danny had used during the race, simply shrunken down to model scale. He began taking in the state of his room. One of the Block-Transfer computation worksheets hung on the wall, having been deemed safe by Susan and the Doctor. The Librarian’s inoculation device sat on the desk, next to a jar of the Jarrin Root from Akhaten (the jar kept a temporal stasis field around the root, essentially keeping it fresh forever as a decoration piece).

Not a bad collection, so far, but certainly not as sizable as the collection the Doctor and Susan had assembled during their travels.

A knock came at the door.

“Yeah?” Will threw over his shoulder.

The door opened, and Susan came stepping inside.

“Hey, Will…” Susan began, looking around slightly awkwardly. “Listen… can we talk?”

Will looked at her, before shrugging, and gesturing for her to go ahead.

“It’s just, I…” Susan shifted on her feet. “How much do you remember, from when we… mind melded?”

“Not a lot.” Will honestly admitted. “I remember a planet… With orange skies, two suns… Copper water, red grass, and trees with silver leaves.”

“That’s Gallifrey. My homeworld.” Susan reflected with a slight smile. “But you don’t remember anything beyond that?”

“Nothing.” Will answered.

“Oh… that’s… probably for the best.” Susan rubbed the back of her neck.

“Why are you asking?” Will curiously inquired, before he gasped, paling. “Do you remember everything from my side?”

“I wish I could say I didn’t but…” Susan shrugged sheepishly.

“Oh God, smite me now…”

“Hey, don’t be like that.” Susan instructed him gently, patting him on the shoulder. “Honestly, it’s not that bad.”

“But…” Will’s face went pink. “You saw all my memories, then that means you saw me during… _private_ moments.”

“…Well, yes, that did happen.” Susan admitted. “But it’s not like that’s the only thing I saw.”

“What-“ Will stuttered, slightly afraid to ask. “What else did you see?”

“All of it.” Susan answered honestly. “But I think the thing that stands out to me most is your imprisonment… Colour me impressed, I think, mentally speaking, you’re probably older than I am… Maybe even older than the Doctor.”

Will snorted. “I don’t think anyone’s older than he is. I mean, really, with the bow ties? He’d have to be like, a ten-million-year-old hipster to think those are a good fashion statement.”

“Heh, yeah, and don’t get me started about the fezzes.” Susan laughed in agreement. “Wait, hold on.” She held up both her hands to herself, steadying. “Susan, that’s not why you’re here…” She sighed. “Will, you’re a pretty smart person, right?”

“I’m no Einstein, but I like to think I know a thing or two.”

“Alright, then…” Susan jittered. “Then you know you’re not the first person to travel with us, right?”

“You and he are older than my family line, I’d have to be either really stupid or really egotistical to think I’m the first person, ever.” Will answered. “Why?”

Susan took a breath, psyching herself up, it seemed. “Before you, there was someone else who traveled with us. Ace.”

“Ace…” Will slowly nodded.

“I…” Susan swallowed. “Well, I’m no expert, but I think I might have loved her.”

“Oh.” Will blinked. “I didn’t know you swung that way.”

“Sexual preference isn’t really a ‘thing’ for Gallifreyans.” Susan elaborated. “As long as they’re sapient, it's good enough for us. Why, there was this one time the Doctor had an affair with an intelligent colony of fungus named Dolores-“ She smacked herself in the head. “Getting off topic again…” She muttered. “Anyway… She died.”

“Dolores?” Will tilted his head.

“No… Ace.” Susan elaborated.

“Oh… What happened?” Will tried to ask politely.

Susan looked downcast, a haunted look in her eyes. “We got sloppy, made mistakes… Ace paid for it. Afterwards, I was so lonely…” Susan looked back up, staring Will dead in his eyes. “When you first came aboard the TARDIS, you asked why we chose you… That’s why.”

“…I’m a rebound?”

“No.” Susan instantly denied. “You’re much, much more than that, you’re my friend.”

“Okay…” Will took a breath. “But why tell me this now?”

“The car ride, being in a situation where I could really think, without outside influences, it got me considering something… My biggest regret of traveling with Ace… I never told her how I felt before the end. I’m not going to make that same mistake again. Will…”

Will’s breath hitched, as Susan’s feelings echoed to him through the link.

“I… like you.” Susan kicked the ground. “You know…”

“You…” Will struggled, gaping. “You’re joking.”

“We’ve known each other for about… Two months now.” Susan replied.

“Exactly!” Will said. “Don’t you think this is a bit… quick?”

“Everything’s quick for Time Lords.” Susan retorted. “Besides, you and I already trust each other completely, otherwise, we wouldn’t have been able to bond. And I’m not telling you to force you into anything, I just… thought you’d like to know.”

“…Right, thanks.” Will replied. “I should… get to bed.”

Susan nodded, though knew full well Will wasn’t tired, even as she exited the room.

Will sighed, flopping down on his bed.

****

Across the TARDIS, Susan unknowingly mimicked Will’s movements, flopping down in her own bed, unable to shake the feeling she’d just ruined everything.


	31. Enter Sandman, Part One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When the TARDIS accidentally drifts forward in time with Will and Susan inside, the Doctor is left stranded in Hawkins while he waits to catch up to his ship. It should be easy, but dark forces are stirring in the town, as people begin to mysteriously die in their sleep.

“Righty-o…” The Doctor satisfactorily said to himself, landing the TARDIS calmly as to not disturb the other two occupants in their rooms. “Now…” He turned to move to the upper level, suddenly stopping as a whistle came from the console. The Doctor groaned, rolling his eyes as he turned back to the screen. “What is it this- oh.”

The Time Lord cut himself off, examining the readouts on the screen.

“Hmm…” The Doctor frowned, before moving to step out of the TARDIS. The door slammed shut behind him, and he took survey of his surroundings. “Hmm…” He bit his lip, upon realizing the TARDIS had not landed in the Byers’s shed, rather directly in front of it. He shook his head frustratedly, moving to reenter the ship.

The Doctor reached out his hand for the door, and gasped, stumbling as he passed right through.

“No!” The Doctor shouted, reaching around wildly as the TARDIS began to fade away quietly of its own accord. “No, no, not now! Ragh!” He yelled out in frustration. “Stupid Doctor!” He smacked himself in the head with his cane. “The one time you don’t check the locking down mechanism, this happens! So…” He sighed. “Will and Susan are still inside, probably with no idea of what’s happened, and I’m stuck here, in Hawkins, waiting for one of them to get their heads together, and figure out what’s going on…” He sighed. “Bugger.”

****

Joyce yawned, rolling over as her alarm clock bleeped, signaling the arrival of Monday morning,

She sniffed, the smell of bacon and eggs wafting through the house. Jonathan must’ve already gotten up and begun to cook, she decided, as she got up to begin her morning routine.

Quickly changing into her work clothes, she proceeded into the kitchen.

“Good morning, Jon-“

“Ah, Joyce!” The Doctor turned around from where he stood at the stove, cooking. “Good morning, hello! It’s almost done!”

“What…” She began, gesturing around at the colossal mess made of her kitchen. “Are you _doing_?”

“Making breakfast, duh.” The Doctor replied.

Jonathan came out of his room, looking supremely confused as he looked to the man in the kitchen. “Mom? What’s going on? What’s he doing here?”

“Just…” Joyce held up a hand in Jonathan’s direction. “Go get dressed, you’re going to be late. I’ll deal with him.”

Jonathan’s eyes narrowed suspiciously at the Time Lord, before going back to his room to get ready.

“What are you doing here?” Joyce quietly asked once Jonathan was out of earshot. “Where’s Will?” She paled. “Something didn’t happen, did it?”

“No, nothing happened.” The Doctor denied. “Well, something did happen, but it wasn’t too bad!” He quickly amended. He glanced to the hallway. “He doesn’t know about…”

“Nobody does. I told them Will’s traveling with you and your daughter, that’s all.” Joyce explained. “None of the others know about anything else. No time traveling, no aliens…”

“You didn’t tell them?” The Doctor raised an eyebrow, folding an omelet before placing it down on a plate.

“Will should be the one to do that not me.” Joyce defended. “And you still haven’t told me what happened.”

The Doctor sighed, gesturing for her to sit.

“The TARDIS has a locking down mechanism.” The Doctor explained, sitting across from Joyce. “Think of it as a sort of handbrake, keeping the TARDIS from drifting away in time. Anyway, when I landed the TARDIS this time around, it accidentally materialized outside the garden shed.” The Doctor explained. “I stepped outside for just a second to investigate, and I guess I forgot to engage the handbrake, so poof...” He gestured. “The TARDIS was gone.”

“That can just happen?” Joyce asked.

“Yeah.” The Doctor confirmed.

“Well, where is he?” Joyce spluttered. “That box of yours can go anywhere, he could be on mars, or in ancient Greece, or-“

“Joyce,” The Doctor steadied her, “Your son is fine. The TARDIS has safety protocols that automatically engage when they detect the exterior has experienced temporal drift, and even if they haven’t engaged, the TARDIS wouldn’t be able to drift forever, not before one of them figured out what was happening. Trust me, everything’s fine. Except-!” He suddenly raised his voice in frustration. “Me being stuck here!”

“Come on,” Joyce tilted her head, “It can’t be that bad.”

“Oh, it is. It is that bad.” The Doctor retorted. “Small-town Indiana, absolutely nothing to do… I’ll die of boredom.”

“Mom?” Jonathan came back in, ready for work. “Is everything okay?”

“Hm,” She turned to him, “Oh, yeah, yeah, it’s fine.”

“I’ll get Will up-“

“Oh, don’t worry, I can handle him. You go onto work, sweetie.” She recommended with a kind smile, and Jonathan nodded.

“Here.” The Doctor offered the omelet to Jonathan. “Don’t go to work on an empty stomach, that’s what I always say.”

The older Byers child took it suspiciously, but said nothing more, as he walked out to his car, departing for work.

“And there’s the other problem.” The Doctor sighed, watching as Jonathan vanished into the distance. “Everyone here hates me because they think I kidnapped your son.”

Joyce suddenly inhaled. “Oh my God, he’s supposed to be at school. I can call in, but how long did you say it would take for them to get back?”

“A few days…” The Doctor picked at the inside of his ear. “Not long at all. Probably.”

“What am I going to do?” Joyce rubbed her face exasperatedly.

“Don’t worry,” The Doctor tapped his nose. “Leave it to me.”

****

 _“Will? Will, where are you?”_ Mike’s voice came from Will’s radio. _“We’re over at Dorset, what the hell’s taking you so long?”_

“Yeah, I…” The Doctor, faking Will’s voice with pinpoint precision, coughed. “I’m not feeling too good, guys. Just head on without me.”

_“Oh… okay, we’ll talk to you later then. Out.”_

“Bye.” The Doctor replied, turning to Joyce. “See?” He asked her, voice going back to normal. “Told you I could handle it.”

****

“…I’m telling you guys, it’s weird.” Mike commented, riding alongside the others as they proceeded to the high school.

“What’s weird?” Lucas asked. “Will’s sick, so he can’t come.”

“Will doesn’t get sick anymore!” Mike replied. “He hasn’t ever since… You know… last Halloween. And he didn’t say ‘out’ when he was done talking! I’ll bet he’s skipping out to go over to his ‘girlfriend’s’ again.”

“What’s it matter to you?” Dustin asked innocently.

“When I did that, I got my ass chewed out by five different people!” Mike retorted. “Now Will’s doing the same thing and acting all innocent. He’s being a hypocrite.”

Lucas frowned, as they passed by a house with an ambulance outside, Hopper’s blazer parked as the EMTs carried out an older man. “Is that Steve’s dad?”

“Yeah.” Dustin recognized. “Wonder what’s going on there?”

****

Hopper sat, bouncing his leg up and down as he waited for the coroner to return with the results of the autopsy, as he recalled the events of the day.

That morning, Maria Harrington woke up to make breakfast while her husband slept, intending to wake him up upon finishing. When breakfast was finished, she went to go rouse the man from bed, trying unsuccessfully for several minutes. Upon realizing he was not breathing, she called the paramedics. The woman herself was taken for questioning upon pronouncement of death, while Hopper went to the coroner’s, awaiting the results of the report.

“Well, Chief,” Gary, the coroner, came into the reception area, holding a clipboard. “Looks like your man died of stress-induced cardiomyopathy.”

Hopper blinked at the medical jargon, before raising his eyebrow. “Huh?”

“We call it ‘broken heart syndrome.’” Gary explained. “Some emotional stressors like, say, grief or extreme fear can literally cause the heart to give out.”

“What, so he just died for no reason?”

“Judging from the autopsy, he’s been dead for more than a few hours, happened around midnight I’d say.” Gary reported, handing the clipboard with the sheet over to Hopper. “He was probably just having a nightmare, and his heart couldn’t handle the strain. Happens all the time. More than we’d like, but it’s a totally normal thing with people who have heart conditions.”

“Yeah…” Hopper sighed, passing the clipboard back to Gary, but taking the sheet. “Thanks.”

“It’s my job.” Gary replied.

Hopper sighed once more, turning on his heel as he left.

Some days, he really hated his job.

****

The Doctor looked around shiftily as he made his way through Hawkins, towards the RadioShack. He’d given his cell phone to Will and hadn’t made the time to pick up a new one, leaving simply calling the two on board the TARDIS out of the question.

Meaning the Doctor was now forced to rely on local tech.

Glancing around to make sure he wouldn’t be seen, the Doctor quickly used the sonic screwdriver on a nearby ATM, the machine spitting out ten-thousand dollars in response, all in twenties. The Doctor quickly gathered up the cash, praying he hadn’t been noticed, before sprinting into the RadioShack.

The Doctor stopped, looking around like he was a kid in a candy store. Sure, it was all horrendously outdated, but it was hard not to get excited.

This was gonna be fun.


	32. Enter Sandman, Part Two

The Doctor looked around, before dropping all of the electronics he’d gathered up on Will’s bed, hoping he hadn’t been noticed. He fastened a set of goggles to his face, before puling a soldering iron out of his pocket.

It was time to get to work.

****

Jonathan came home, sighing as he slumped down on the couch. He took a few moments to rest up and gather himself, before he went to go take a shower.

“…Come on you little, I’ll-“ Jonathan heard come from Will’s room.

Assuming the worst, the teenager threw the door open, stopping as he saw the Doctor over a pile of mechanical guts, soldering them together with a set of ridiculous goggles, tweed blazer off to the side, the man working with the sleeves of his blue button-up rolled up.

“Oh, hello!” The Doctor shot to his feet, making kissing motions at the air on both sides of Jonathan’s face. “Mwah, mwah… That’s what the young people do nowadays, right?”

“What are you doing in here?” Jonathan demanded. “And where’s Will?”

“Oh, Will? He’s probably over with one of his friends.” The Doctor replied. “As for this… just a little engineering project. I’m a bit of an inventor, you see.”

“Right…” Jonathan narrowed his eyes. “And is there a reason you’re doing it in my brother’s room?”

“Well, your mother wouldn’t be very pleased with me if I made a mess in her living room, now would she?” The Doctor replied.

“Listen to me,” Jonathan stepped forward threating. “I don’t know who the hell you think you are, I don’t care if Will thinks he likes your kid, but if you do anything to hurt him, you’re going to have me to deal with.”

The Doctor’s eyes narrowed, the space around him rippling invisibly, before he suddenly smiled. “Then we’ve come to an understanding.” He stated, before slamming the door. “Aha! Bingo!”

The lights in the house all went out, as something behind the door audibly overloaded.

“Ah.” The Doctor stated. “Bugger.”

****

Deep within his own mind, trapped in a hell from which he could not escape, a man ran, huffing, puffing as he desperately tried to outrun the demonic being chasing him. What’s more, he was being cornered, on all sides. Fears he didn’t even know he had were being dredged up from the darkest corners of his mind, as a thin, twisted figure cackled as it followed him.

The shadows lengthened on all sides, before he knew nothing more, being consumed by the darkness with a terrified scream.

****

The next day came just as the last had, Jonathan shooting dirty looks in the general direction of the Doctor, the time lord sequestering himself away while he worked on his project, Joyce doing whatever she could to keep the peace.

“Joyce!” The Doctor suddenly popped around the corner. “I need some hair, ASAP.”

Joyce blinked, Jonathan stopping in his tracks as he tried to cook. “Excuse me, what?”

“You heard me, I need hair, pronto!”

“Get a wig.” Jonathan recommended, crossing his arms.

“I can’t get a wig, those are synthetic, I need real hair!” The Doctor replied.

“Why not your own?” Joyce asked.

“Because it’s not the right color!” The Doctor answered. “Come on, I’ll make it worth your while!” He tried to entice, slapping down a stack of money in front of her.

Joyce gaped, at the stack of five-grand in front of her.

“Is that not enough?” The Doctor asked. “ I’m not good with the whole money thing. If you need more, I can-“

“No, no!” Joyce quickly denied, trying not to seem like she was taking advantage of the Doctor. “This is fine… How much hair do you need?”

“Not much, about half should do.” The Doctor answered, pulling a set of shears out of his pocket.

Joyce glanced at the tool apprehensively.

****

“Hm.” Joyce made the sound, looking in the mirror. The Doctor had indeed taken half her hair, but he’d made an effort to at least leave her hair presentable. Surprising. She didn’t take him to be the type to know how to style hair.

Jonathan had since gone off to work, but with the sudden windfall of money the Doctor bequeathed to her, Joyce chose to stay behind, observing the Time Lord to make sure he didn’t do anything too out of pocket.

“Aha, finished!” The Doctor triumphantly proclaimed, pumping a fist, coming to Joyce covered in grease. “You wanna see?”

“See what?” Joyce questioned.

The Doctor grinned like a kid about to show his parents his scribbles he made in school, as he led her to Will’s room. There, on the bed, sat a humanoid figure covered in a bedsheet. “Joyce, meet the new-and-improved…” He grabbed onto the sheet and pulled. “Robo-Will!”

Joyce gasped slightly, as there on the bed, sat her son, staring ahead, unmoving. “Will? What’s wrong with him?” She demanded, turning to the Doctor.

“Ah, see, he just hasn’t been turned on yet!” The Doctor answered, throwing the sheet to the side. “I figured, you’re going to need a Will to go to school and do all the humany-wumany things, so I built him.”

“You built… A robot twin… of my son?” Joyce questioned in disbelief.

“Yep! Wasn’t sure if I could do it with the tech laying around, but…” The Doctor humbly replied. “I’ve been working on it all night.”

“That’s why you needed my hair?”

“Yeah, skin’s easy enough to replicate the feeling of, but hair… that’s when it breaks down.” The Doctor answered, before getting a giddy look. “Let’s turn it on!” He said, hitting a small bump that looked almost like a zit on the robot’s neck.

“Robo-Will online.” The robot proclaimed monotonously. “Awaiting input.”

Joyce turned to the Doctor sarcastically. “You’ve been working on _that_ all night, when you could’ve just built your… beacon thingy and gotten the real Will back?”

“I am setting right here, meatbag.”

“Ah well.” The Doctor swallowed, straightening his bow tie. “Nobody’s perfect. Well, nobody except Franziska von Karma. Oh, _those_ were good times.” He reflected with a smile. “Even if I still have the scars from the whip…” The Doctor suddenly spluttered, shaking his head. “Anyway, he’s not supposed to be perfect, just enough like Will to fool the others until we can get the TARDIS back here. Robo-Will!” The Doctor addressed. “Go to school.”

The robot made a theatrical sigh, standing up, grabbing Will’s backpack and school books, and leaving the room.

“Well, that was difficult work, how about some coffee? You want coffee? I want coffee. I’m sure we can find a coffee vendor around here somewhere.”

Joyce sighed, as the Doctor bounced around, making himself presentable, before dragging her along for coffee.

****

“It’s rubbish!” The Doctor loudly proclaimed as they walked down the street. “What kind of town doesn’t have a Starbucks?”

“A what?”

“Oh, right, after your time.” The Doctor seemed to suddenly remember. “It’s a sort of coffee-“

The Time Lord cut himself off as an ambulance came screeching by, sirens wailing at full volume.

“Oh, there goes trouble. Come on!” The Doctor shouted, sprinting off in the direction of the ambulance.

“What are you doing!?”

“Someone needs help!” The Doctor recognized, moving swiftly for a man with a cane. “And despite what I look like, I am an actual doctor!”

“What, really?”

“Well, a chiropractor.” The Doctor amended. “Long story.”

****

By the time the Doctor and Joyce caught up to the ambulance, the paramedics were carrying the poor man out on a stretcher.

“Oh my God, that’s Bob!” Joyce recognized with horror. “Move, move!” She shouted to the others watching the spectacle. “Bob!”

Hopper, who was watching the scene unfold, turned around, grabbing onto Joyce to stop her before she could get any further. “Joyce.”

“Let me go!” She screamed. “Bob.”

“Joyce!” Hopper pushed again. “…I’m sorry.”

Joyce looked, as they put Bob into the back of the ambulance, still, unmoving, and pale as the sheet that covered the rest of him.

She could do no more than cry.


	33. Enter Sandman, Part Three

“…They said he died in his sleep.” Hopper softly told Joyce, the woman weeping as the meaning of what happened hit her. “If it’s any help… He didn’t feel any pain.”

“What…” Joyce swallowed, taking a shaky drag off her cigarette. “What happened?”

“They called it ‘broken heart syndrome.’” Hopper explained.

“What?”

“The human brain is a fragile thing.” The Doctor softly spoke up from across the way. “Sometimes, whatever someone’s going through is too much, their hearts just can’t take it.”

Hopper glared at the Doctor slightly but looked somewhat thankful for the explanation. “Something similar happened to Steve’s dad yesterday morning. His heart just gave out from stress.”

“Isn’t that a bit weird?” Joyce asked through her tears. “Two different people, unrelated… dying of the exact same thing.”

“They said it’s common enough with people who have heart conditions.” Hopper replied.

“But Bob was perfectly healthy!” Joyce insisted.

“Chief Hopper…” The Doctor addressed. “I’d like to see the coroner’s reports myself, and if it’s not too much trouble, the two victims’ medical histories.”

“How come?” Hopper asked.

“Please, I know I haven’t given you a lot of reason to, but just… trust me on this.” The Doctor requested.

Hopper glanced back to Joyce, and sighed, pushing himself up from the table. “I’ll be back in a minute.” He said, exiting out the front door.

“I don’t understand…” Joyce sniffled once Hopper was gone. “Why Bob? He didn’t do anything wrong.”

“He didn’t.” The Doctor answered, even though he didn’t know the man himself. “The universe is just a cruel place sometimes… But you have my word, I will find whatever did this, and I will stop it.”

“Stop it?” Joyce looked to the Time Lord. “What makes you think something’s causing this?”

The Doctor drew his lips into a line. “Because you’re right. Two people who are unrelated and perfectly healthy, who’ve probably never met, don’t drop dead right after each other.”

****

“Come on, come on, there has to be something…” The Doctor muttered, looking over the two separate autopsy reports.

“Not finding anything?” Joyce asked, drained, as she lay on the couch.

“Nothing.” The Doctor sighed in frustration, the robotic duplicate of Will walking through the living room, back to Will’s bedroom, before shutting down. “Think Joyce, did Bob and Mr. Harrington have anything in common at all?”

Joyce remained quiet for a moment as she pondered, before sighing. “Nothing. The only thing is both of them went to the same High School.”

“Anything at all, Joyce?” The Doctor pressed. “Birthday? Tastes? Experiences? Anything that set the two of them out from the crowd?”

“Well, Harrington was a bit of a hypochondriac, and Bob was afraid of clowns for the longest time…” Joyce shook her head. “But I don’t see how those connect.”

“Neither do-“ The Doctor suddenly cut himself off. “Phobias.”

“What?”

“Phobias!” The Doctor turned back to the reports, sifting through them. “Think about it! These aren’t just regular fears, these are the kind of things that can induce panic attacks, or-“

“Stress-induced heart failure.” Joyce finished. “So, the two of them had fears that gave them nightmares strong enough to… kill them.”

“Yes, but the odd thing is, look at their medical histories!” The Doctor pointed out. “No pre-existing heart conditions, no history of panic attacks, or nightmares!”

“So…”

“And look at this!” The Doctor ordered, pointing to the sheets. “Adrenaline levels are identical, stress-patterns on the heart are identical, everything is identical!”

“So?”

“So, why are the causes of death in two separate men identical?” The Doctor posited. “The heart giving out on its own is coincidence, but everything being exactly the same? This isn’t natural, it’s been induced. And if whatever’s caused it has gone after two people already, it’s going to go after more.”

“If that’s true…” Joyce turned to the Doctor. “How are we going to stop it?”

The Doctor bit his lower lip in thought for a moment.

****

“Ley lines!” The Doctor said, joining together some more electronics from the RadioShack into a new monstrosity.

“What?” Joyce asked, unfamiliar of the term.

“Lines of psychic energy that run all across the galaxy, some of the last surviving magics in the universe.” The Doctor explained like a storyteller, working on the cobbled-together device. “See, a long, long time ago, my people rationalized the universe, did away with the inherent chaos and magic that dominated things at the time. But, some of the magics were close enough to science to survive, like psychic abilities, because they do rely on laws instead of having no rules. Now, ley lines, think of them as power conduits, being given strength by all the minds of living creatures simply existing, that energy flows from place to place, person to person, and if you’re clever, very clever, you can tap into it.”

Joyce was taken aback for a second. “That sounds like something from one of Will’s D&D sessions, not… science.”

“Oh, don’t be like that. You’ve probably seen it in action a few times, actually.”

“Huh?”

The Doctor turned to look at her. “Eleven’s powers have to be fueled by something, think about it.”

“So, why not get her to deal with it?”

“Her mother scares me.” The Doctor answered, putting the finishing touches on the device. “There, all hunky-dory.”

“What’s that going to do?” Joyce asked.

“It’s going to allow us, to tap into the ley line running near Hawkins, find whatever’s inside causing the problems, and put a stop to it.”

“Us?”

“Yep.” The Doctor answered, handing it to Joyce.

“Wh-Wh-“ Joyce spluttered, “I can’t-“

“I need another person.” The Doctor told her frankly, but gently. “Please, Joyce. You’re already a part of this, I don’t want to bring anyone else into it. I won’t make you, but please…”

Joyce sighed, seeing the Time Lord’s pleading look, as she took the device from him. “How is this going to work.”

“Just put it on your temple.” He instructed. “It’ll make sure your mind can find its way back to its body.”

“And what about you?”

“I’m already telepathic.” The Doctor answered. “My mind can do the heavily lifting without it.”

Joyce took a breath. “Then let’s do it.”

The Doctor nodded, reaching out a hand to put on the side of her face opposite the device. He closed his eyes, taking a breath, Joyce mirroring his breathing, as the world around them disappeared.

****

The two were standing in an infinite black void, a shimmering surface underneath their feet like water, though void of any reflection.

“What is this place?” Joyce asked, looking around.

“We’re inside the ley line.” The Doctor answered, an almost giddy look on his face. “I’ve never done this before. Look...” He pointed in the distance, a figure flickering for just a second. “There’s El. Just a little bit out of sync with us. Hm. She must be spying on someone.”

“So, what do we do?” Joyce asked.

“Well, I’m looking through every telepathic frequency I can until I find the culprit.” The Doctor answered.

“Oh, I say dear boy!” A voice tinged with an upper-class, very posh British accent, like the one the stereotypical ‘stiff upper lip’ gentleman would wield, rang throughout the void. “If you wanted an audience with me, all you had to do was say so, old chap!”

A man in a chair with an almost comically large spaghetti moustache materialized out of nowhere, pale skin covered in a thin layer of soot, disheveled hair standing free of its own accord, wearing what looked like a cheap imitation of Time Lord garb, the being no doubt mocking the Doctor.

“Isn’t this grand?” The being asked, a giddy smile taking his features. “Doctor Who… I’m quite a big fan of your work, all those night terrors your program instills in the kiddies… Oho, delightful!”

The Doctor narrowed his eyes, saying nothing.

“Oh, pardon me, where are my manners!?” The being huffed to himself. “Allow me to introduce myself, you can call me… the Sandman.”

“The Sandman.” The Doctor repeated, looking the being up and down distastefully.

“Or Scratchman, Old Scratch, or just Scratch, if you like.” The Sandman waved noncommittally. “The humans have ever so many names they call me by now, it’s hard to keep up.”

“You look different in those portraits.”

“Ah, yes, well, you have to forgive a few artistic liberties you know.” The Sandman chuckled.

“Doctor,” Joyce quietly looked over to the Time Lord. “What is this?”

“I-“ The Sandman turned to her, with a slight kindly smile, betraying the cold stare from his eyes, “Am everything that goes bump in the night. The monster in the closet, the one under the bed waiting to gobble you up, the thing that stirs in the dark that you know isn’t there but are never quite sure…”

The Doctor scoffed, crossing his arms. “That’s a rather theatrical way of putting it.”

“Oh, and I suppose you could do better?”

“I could.” The Doctor answered. “I had you pegged for what you were the moment you showed yourself.”

“Then, please…” The Sandman gestured, bowing. “Grace us with your knowledge.”

“Alright.” The Doctor grinned back predatorily, before glancing in Joyce’s direction. “It’s a Tulpa.”

“A what?”

“Powerful thing, the human mind.” The Doctor began. “One mind certainly isn’t enough to make something out of nothing, or one, or even a thousand. But if you get billions of people, all dreaming the same dream, thinking the same thing… That dream can become reality. It can take a mind of its own. That’s what we’re staring at now.” The Doctor said, staring down the Sandman. “The embodiment of, well, I should say fear given the modus operandi. ‘The only thing we have to fear is fear itself…’” The Doctor huffed. “How right he was.”

Joyce blinked. “That’s not- That’s impossible.” She insisted.

“Oh?” The Sandman turned to her with a politely raised eyebrow. “Shall I rattle off some of your fears to you? Spiders? Caves? The Government? Or how about…” Lightning flashed in the void for but a moment, the Sandman’s face being replaced for just a split second by Lonnie’s, before the light went away, the Sandman giving no indication that anything had happened. “It doesn’t matter to me, it’s all the same stuff...” The Sandman kicked up his feet on a stool that had appeared out of nowhere.

“And what is ‘the same stuff?’” The Doctor demanded.

“Food.” The Sandman answered. “See, the ancestors of these people, they brought me into existence a long, long time ago, and then forgot about me… I would’ve faded, doomed to non-existence, not even entry to an afterlife should one exist. But then,” The Sandman popped up, holding up a finger, “I figured out the key… I don’t need everyone to believe in me at once, just a few select people with fear that was easy to exploit, and I could live happily and comfortably.”

“Is that what we are to you!?” Joyce furiously demanded. “Food!?”

“Now, Joycelyn, don’t get that attitude with me.” The Sandman held a hand over his chest.

“It’s Joyce.”

“I don’t recall asking your opinion.” The Sandman replied.

The air in the void went cold, the Doctor taking a forward step, clenching his fists. “Leave.”

“What?” The Sandman laughed.

“Leave.” The Doctor ordered. “I don’t care who you are or what you want, leave this planet, _now_.”

The Sandman tsked, waggling a finger. “Now, now… Don’t be rude, remember, manners maketh man. How about…” The Sandman played with a mock Seal of Rassilon on his collar. “A deal?”

“A deal?” The Doctor repeated.

“Yes.” The Sandman confirmed. “A great adventurer like you, Doctor, you’ve got to have quite a lot of things you’re scared of in there. Stay here, and I will leave the humans alone.”

“Doctor,” Joyce immediately leaned over to him. “You can’t-“

The Doctor silently held up a hand. “I accept.” He directed to the Sandman.

The Sandman grinned predatorily.


	34. Enter Sandman, Part Four

“Doctor, think about this.” Joyce almost hissed. “If you stay here with that _thing-“_

“She’s not invited.” The Sandman glowered in Joyce’s direction.

“You won’t be able to rescue Will and Susan.”

“Don’t worry,” The Doctor straightened his bow tie. “I’m sure they’ll be fine.”

“Now…” The Sandman began. “Open yourself.”

The Doctor grinned slightly, and his mental shields began to drop.

“Now, what are you afraid of…” The Sandman began to sift through the Doctor’s mind.

“You know, fascinating thing about telepathic links.” The Doctor began. “They go both ways. You can see in my head… But I can see yours.”

The Sandman paled, trying to pull away quickly, understanding what the Doctor was getting at. “What is this?” He demanded, finding himself unable to break the link. “What’re you doing?”

“Oh, I’m just stepping inside making myself at home.” The Doctor replied. “Oh, it’s an awfully drab mindscape you have here, let’s spruce it up a bit, eh? Joyce?”

“Yes, Doctor?”

“Close your eyes.” He warned, his own eyes narrowing as the void around them began to ripple and shimmer. “As for you…” He directed to the Sandman. “You want fear? I’ll give you fear.”

The Sandman took a breath, as the void changed, a three-dimensional montage of the Doctor’s most fearsome foes replacing the black expanse. An armada of Daleks descending upon Earth in the year 200100, reducing the surface to a burnt hellscape. The Cybermen marching, consuming and converting countless billions of souls in their path. The Sontarans and the Rutans, their millennia-long war destroying more worlds than could be counted.

And above all of them, the Doctor’s own people, the Time Lords, standing poised to destroy all reality itself.

The Sandman looked shaken for all but a second, laughing as he shook his head. “You think this scares me? I know full well of these monsters. I’m not afraid of them.”

“Oh, you should be.” The Doctor retorted. “But most of all, you should be afraid of the one who’s bested all of them time and time again.”

The images blurred, as the Daleks were tricked into destroying their own homeworld. The Cybermen running in fear, despite them being unfeeling cyborgs, at the unstoppable whirlwind tearing through them. The Time Lords, the closest thing to gods there had ever been, all burning away and dying with the single press of a big red button.

The countless species of the universe, all of them putting aside old grudges, to lock away one man, just because of the sheer unbridled terror that man had inspired in them.

The universe itself shrinking down, flickering out of existence, because one group had been scared of him enough to blow up his TARDIS.

“So…” The Doctor straightened his bow tie. “Afraid yet, are we?”

The Sandman recoiled from the Doctor, hyperventilating despite the fact that he had no need to breathe. Though the images were short, the Sandman got everything the Doctor presented forth.

“Y-yes…” The Sandman stammered, breaking the link in desperation. “I’m afraid.”

“Good.” The Doctor stated venomously.

“Y-you can’t kill me!” The Sandman shouted in defiance. “So long as there are things to be afraid of, I will come back! I will _always_ come back!”

“Then I’ll see you around.”

The Sandman gasped, as his form began to fade from the void, the place returning to perpetual darkness.

****

“The Sandman,” The Doctor explained, putting the finishing touches on the cobbled-together TARDIS recall. “Won’t be hearing from him for quite some time, methinks.”

Joyce blinked, taking a sip of coffee as the Doctor worked. “So, it’s gone?”

The Doctor drew his lips into a line. “No. Because the Sandman was right. There are always things to be afraid of in this world. Fear of loss, fear of monsters, fear of whatever… It’s all the same food to the Sandman. He’ll be back.”

“Then… How did you beat him?” Joyce asked. “If he always comes back, how’d you do it?”

“I starved him.” The Doctor answered. “The thing about the Sandman, is he can feed on fear, yes. But if he tried feeding on someone who wasn’t afraid of what he was doing…” The Doctor shrugged. “That’s the thing, all those things I showed him… They lost their punch a long time ago.” He admitted. “The Sandman was more scared of them than I was. And you can’t eat yourself, that’s just bad table manners. There we go!” The Doctor hurriedly changed the subject excitedly, switching the device on. A couple of moments later, the key in his pocket began to warm up, glowing, as the TARDIS materialized in Joyce’s kitchen. “There they are, back in time for tea.” The Doctor satisfactorily tugged on his bow tie. “I doubt they even know they were gone.”

The TARDIS doors were pulled open with a desperation, a scrambling need, as Will came stumbling out, carrying Susan bridal-style in his arms.

Both of them covered in blood.

“Will…?” Joyce fearfully asked, as Will stared into the distance.

The teenager looked between the two adults blankly, before his eyes came to rest upon the Doctor.

Will opened his mouth, looking like he was struggling to merely speak. “…Help.” He forced out, before dropping to the ground.


	35. Turnabout Time Lord, Part One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Will gets arrested and accused of murder, and with the Doctor nowhere to be found, it's up to Susan to mount a defense for the Byers boy. Problem is, without a psychic paper or experience, she can't do the job.
> 
> But she knows just the guy.

Will awoke, as a sudden jolt rocked the TARDIS, the metal megastructure of the interior creaking uncertainly as whatever was happening vibrated through the living ship.

The Byers boy, fearing the worst, quickly hopped up, and took off in a sprint towards the control room, the TARDIS rumbling like it was at the epicenter of an earthquake the entire time.

Will sprinted in, Susan having beaten him to the punch, scrambling around the console. The Time Lady threw the bronze lever, and a resounding thud tolled in the room, the shaking stopping immediately in response.

“What’s going on?” Will asked, walking up the steps to the console. “Where’s the Doctor?”

“No idea.” Susan responded, checking over the console. “But it looks like we’ve been falling through the vortex for the past…” She checked a readout on the console, “Five hours, convert that to linear time…”

Will blinked, raising an eyebrow. “What’re you talking about?”

“The TARDIS has been falling through time, probably because father forgot to put the brake on again.” Susan huffed, shaking her head.

“So, where are we?” Will asked.

“Judging by this…” Susan looked over the readouts on the console. “Well, we’re still in Hawkins. Your future, it looks like.”

“The future?” Will repeated. “Oh, I’ve got to see this.” He said, turning to the door.

“Ah, ah, ah!” Susan cut him off at the door. “No.”

“Why not!?”

“Because, if we go out there, we could risk learning no one’s seen or heard from you for years!” Susan retorted. “And then we wouldn’t be able to drop you back off in Hawkins at your proper time, think!”

Will held up a finger, “I may not be the best at time travel, but if that does wind up being the case, couldn’t we just go back, and rig things up so it looks that way?”

“Oh… Shut up!” Susan spluttered.

****

“Good God, it’s hot out here.” Will groaned, the heat beating down on him like a drum.

“That’s 2018 for you.” Susan commented, shoving her hands into the pockets of her suit.

“This is got to be one of the hottest summers on record.” Will guessed, glancing at Susan.

“You’re right, but right now, it’s technically fall.”

Will recoiled slightly. “Damn. What the hell’s happening?”

“Climate change.” Susan shrugged. “Don’t worry, you guys’ll get it sorted out.”

“Right.” Will nodded. “So, Hawkins 2018.” Will looked around. “Doesn’t look too different.”

“No, it doesn’t.” Susan agreed, looking around herself. “Let’s see if there’s anything else.”

However, unbeknownst to the two, they were being observed.

“This is Alderson.” The police officer spoke into his radio, watching Will and Susan proceed down the sidewalk. “I’ve got him.”

****

“Susan…” Will placed his hand on the glass separating them. “I’m scared.”

Something had become quickly apparent upon their arrival in 2018. One, a police officer had been tailing them, ready for a chance to arrest Will. Two, someone was dead. Three, the reason why Will of all people was arrested was because evidence pointing to him was found all over the crime scene.

Susan sighed, “I know you are.”

“But… Murder!” Will responded. “That’s serious! I could be executed for this!”

“That’s _not_ going to happen.” Susan determinedly stated.

“It’s not?” Will repeated.

“Because I’m not going to let it.” She resolved, placing her hand on the glass.

“Right, okay…” Will slowly nodded, swallowing. “So… are you going to bust me outta here?”

Susan rubbed the bridge of her nose. “As much as I’d like to, no.” She answered, Will’s face falling in response. “If I busted you out of here, that’d only make more trouble. We’re going to have to do this within the bounds of the law.”

“There’s got to be something to prove I didn’t do it.” Will stated. “Well, if not me, then the me of this time.”

“I know.” Susan said. “Although, it does make me wonder… What reason could you possibly have for committing murder? Not you, future you. I mean, you don’t strike me as a person who would just snap and go bonkers.”

“I’m not.” Will agreed. “Maybe… On all cop shows, they investigate the crime scene first, right? Maybe you should start there.”

“Right. But I’m not your defense attorney, they probably won’t give me access to anything.” Susan said.

“So, I appoint you.” Will responded, gesturing. “Flash the paper thing and get them to let you in.”

“Will, I don’t have psychic paper, and the Doctor doesn’t keep spares on the TARDIS.” Susan retorted. “Even if he did… I’m just not qualified.” She sighed frustratedly. “This is bad… We need to find someone who can represent you, who can investigate the crime scene, and be ready for the trial by tomorrow.”

Will double-took. “Sorry, I think I misunderstood. Trial _tomorrow!?”_

Susan bit her lip. “It’s part of a new system introduced back in… 2015 I think? Long story short, crime had shot up so much the courthouses were nearly overflowing, so to try and take off some of the pressure, the US practically restructured the entire trial system, making it look something like Japan’s. It’s all about bench trials now.”

“But juries are part of the Sixth Amendment!” Will replied. “They can’t just… overturn that!”

“They could and did.” Susan retorted. “I’m not lying to you, and I don’t think I can properly impress upon you the full force of my words, but the situation really was that desperate.”

“This is insane…” Will muttered, leaning into his hand. “What do I do?”

Susan licked her lips in thought, before a proverbial lightbulb materialized above her head. “Stay here! I know just the lawyer for the job!”


	36. Turnabout Time Lord, Part Two

Phoenix Wright, the so-called ‘Ace Attorney’ by the media, was in a bit of a slump. It had been some time since his last case, the trial of one Matt Engarde, an actor who hired an assassin to kill his rival, and who had also gotten said assassin to kidnap Phoenix’s trusted assistant and best friend, Maya, in order to force the lawyer to defend him.

Though the events were months past him, Phoenix still felt a bit haunted about what happened. He’d nearly lost Maya, and if it wasn’t for sheer luck on his side, he would’ve lost her for real.

Phoenix let out a small sigh, checking the ancient cell phone he carried around. The tiny clock in the upper-left flashed 1:13. Maya had gone out about thirty minutes ago to get lunch, and she still wasn’t back.

A wave of anxiety hit him, what if something had happened? He’d better call Edgeworth, or Gumshoe, or-

A sudden grinding noise cut off his internal monologue, and Phoenix stood up from his desk, following the sound to its source.

In the front room of the office, a police box stood, humming faintly. The lawyer’s eyebrows inquisitively raised, as he reached out a hand to touch the door.

The doors suddenly swung open, revealing a girl on the other side. Phoenix looked down, to the girl who was about Maya’s height, in a blue suit that almost resembled his own.

“Oh, I finally got here, thank God.” The girl let out a relieved sigh. “I ended up all over the place trying to get here.”

Phoenix scratched his head, looking curiously at the girl. “Sorry, who are you? And how’d you get this in here?” He asked, gesturing to the TARDIS. “Are you one of Maya’s friends?”

“No!” The girl denied. “Phoenix Wright, you are Phoenix Wright, right?”

“Right.” Phoenix nodded.

“Good.” The girl replied. “I’m Susan, last name Foreman or Smith, depending on the day.” Susan introduced herself. “And I’ve got a friend who needs your help.”

Phoenix shook his head. “Sorry, miss, but I’m not taking on clients right now. Go find someone else to defend your friend.”

Susan frowned, her eyes narrowing. “I’m in 2018, so Maya shouldn’t be in Kurian Village… I’m well before the Hobo Era… Oh, I’ve got it!” She snapped her fingers. “You’re fresh off that kerfuffle with Shelly de Killer, aren’t you? You almost lost the love of your life, that explains it.”

Phoenix recoiled, as if hit. “H-hold on, I do _not_ think of Maya like that!”

Susan laughed, smiling slightly smugly. “See, you can say that, but I know what happens.” She sniffed, still grinning. “I’ve already been to the wedding. Nice affair, even if father got whipped for flirting with one of the bridesmaids. Could’ve also done with a bit less mauve, thought we were in danger the whole time.”

“W-who are you!?” Phoenix stuttered, face flushing tomato red from the girl’s teasing.

“Told you, my name’s Susan.” She replied. “And, well…” She pulled both doors open, stepping back, allowing the lawyer to get a good look into the TARDIS.

Phoenix frowned, looking in. His jaw dropped, as he moved around to the other side of the exterior, waving around his hands in the empty space behind.

“No way… That’s an optical illusion, or a magic trick, or-“

“Nope.” Susan cut the lawyer off. “There’s just more space on the inside. Now, since I’ve just shown you something that’s blown everything you know about the limitations of Euclidian geometry away, could you listen for a moment, and let me tell you why I need your help?”

Phoenix blinked.

****

“Nick!” Maya called, as she walked back into the office, carrying a bag from Carl’s Jr. “I’m back!” She looked around, hearing no response. “Nick?” She looked into the room where the lawyer’s desk was sitting.

There, was a note waiting for her.

 _“Maya, gone to help a client in another state. Last-minute. Don’t know when I’ll be back. -Nick”_ The messy scrawl of Phoenix’s handwriting indicated he’d apparently written it in some hurry.

Maya sighed, but then, a happy smile overtook her features. “Oh, well, more for me!”

****

“So…” Will sat patiently in the chair on the other side of the glass in the Hawkins detention center. “You’re my lawyer?” He asked of Phoenix.

The spiky-haired man nodded. “Phoenix Wright, at your service.”

“Trust me, Will.” Susan directed to him. “Phoenix is the best of the best, he always gets a ‘not guilty,’ and he finds the actual person who did it to boot! You’re in good hands.”

“Alright, good…” Will nodded, looking a bit comforted. “So, where do we start?”

“Well, first,” Phoenix responded, “I’d like you to start by telling me some more details about the crime itself.”

“Okay.” Will shifted in his seat. “I don’t know everything, but Mister Clarke, a science teacher at my old middle school, was…” Will swallowed, looking like he was struggling to continue. “Murdered. And they’re saying I did it.”

Phoenix raised an eyebrow. “Did you?”

“Hell no!” Will instantly denied, clenching his fist. “Mister Clarke was one of the best guys I’d ever known… But I can’t prove that I _wasn’t_ there so I’m the prime suspect!”

“That’s a good point, where _were_ you when the crime happened?” Phoenix prompted.

“That’s, uh, I can’t…” Will stuttered.

“Will, I can’t help you unless you talk to me.”

Will glanced at the guard, and lowered his voice, leaning closer. “You’ve been on board the TARDIS, right? I can’t think of any other way how Susan got you here so fast.”

“I have.” Phoenix confirmed.

“Alright… So, the thing is, it’s not just a spacecraft, it’s a time machine.” Will outlined. “When the crime happened, we were in the time vortex. When we came back out, the crime had already happened.”

“So, it couldn’t have been you.” Phoenix nodded. _‘But, I doubt time travel is going to be acceptable in court.’_ The lawyer thought to himself.

“It wasn’t.” Will stated.

“Then it sounds like we should go take a look at the crime scene.” Phoenix pushed himself up. “Don’t worry, Mr. Byers, I’ll get you off the hook.”

****

“Will’s location at the time of the crime isn’t going to be of help.” Susan said, walking down the street towards the crime scene. “All we have to focus on is proving it wasn’t Will by some other method.”

“The real killer’s out there.” Phoenix shot back, walking next to her. “And I’m not going to let them get away.”

“The real killer is irrelevant. Mr. Wright, I know you have a long streak of getting your clients off the hook by finding the real culprit, but that isn’t going to work here.” Susan retorted. “For now, the priority is making sure Will is innocent. The question is… How?”

“Let me worry about that.” Phoenix responded, as they came up on the crime scene.

Outside, a man, almost seven feet tall, stood, turning away the reporters that tried to enter the place to get a crack at the scoop.

“Hold it,” The man held out a scarred hand, he glanced to Susan, and his eyebrows furrowed. “Do I know you?”

“Susan Smith.” She introduced herself, knowing her perception filter was throwing off the man’s capability to recognize her face. “And this is Phoenix Wright. We’re the ones in charge of Will’s defense.”

“I see.” The man nodded. “John Halsey, I’m the police chief.”

Susan felt back the urge to laugh. Going on 72, the SPARTAN still didn’t look a day over forty.

“Hello, Chief Halsey,” Phoenix returned. “Do you mind if I ask you some questions?”

“No.” John answered.

Phoenix nodded. “Is there anything you can tell me about the victim?” He asked, taking out a notepad for him to write on as the other man talked.

“The victim was Scott Clarke, a retired teacher.” John answered, as Phoenix began writing. “After they hadn’t seen him for some time, a neighbor began to get worried, and came over to check on him. That’s when they found the body.”

 _‘A neighbor found the body… Possible witness?’_ Phoenix wrote down. “Who was this neighbor?” He asked.

“I can’t tell you that.” John answered, shaking his head apologetically. “They asked to remain anonymous until the trial.”

 _‘Of course, because things just can’t be easy for me for once.’_ Phoenix sarcastically thought to himself. “What about the murder itself?” Phoenix prompted. “How did Mister Clarke die?”

“Stab to the back of the neck.” John answered.

“Poor Mister Clarke…” Susan quietly lamented. “A stab like that would’ve severed his spine, but not necessarily killed him instantly… He could’ve been alive for so long, paralyzed, while he bled out…”

Phoenix glanced at the alien girl, disturbed momentarily. “You’re just a bundle of laughs, aren’t you?”

Susan flinched, sheepishly smiling. “Sorry.”

“Alright, Chief, one last question.” Phoenix prompted. “Could we take a look at the crime scene?”

John nodded, motioning for them to follow. “Right this way.”

****

Mr. Clarke’s living room was in a right old state, chairs overturned, glass shattered all over the place, and a tape outline on the floor where the man had been found. Splotches of blood were everywhere, a massive puddle at the center of the tape outline.

“Oh, God…” Susan breathed, looking around the place. “What the hell happened here?”

“Clarke put up a fight.” John answered. “The killer was expecting an easy target.” He looked to Susan and Phoenix. “You two can gather your evidence, but _don’t_ mess with anything you don’t need.” He ordered, standing back, as the rest of the officers began to leave.

“You know,” Phoenix sighed, “For once, just once, I’d like to get to a crime scene before the police pick everything apart.” He shook his head, producing a pair of white latex gloves, handing another pair to Susan.

“You don’t like cops?” Susan asked, putting on the pair Phoenix gave her.

“Nah, they just have a nasty habit of grabbing everything, and then failing to mention it all to me.” Phoenix replied. “Let’s see if we can find something they haven’t touched…” Phoenix looked around, a red blinking light near the ceiling capturing his attention. “A camera. Why would Clarke have a camera pointed at his sitting room?” He wondered.

“You never know, maybe it was so he could catch footage of ghosts.” Susan half-seriously proposed.

“I’ve met ghosts, they have better things to do than hang around in sitting rooms.” Phoenix replied, walking around the living space, towards a wall. A smear of blood ran down it, with a bloody handprint not far. “Who’s is this, I wonder?”

“No idea.” John answered from across the room. “We’re having forensics looking into it.”

Phoenix bit the inside of his cheek gently, as he added the handprint to the Court Record. Something about it was… wrong, he just couldn’t place his finger on it.

Phoenix nodded, and turned around, looking at a smashed glass coffee table. “Hm... Looks like it got broken during the struggle…”

“A few shards of glass had blood on them.” John commented. “They’re being looked at as well…” Phoenix nodded, and pulled out a little plastic evidence bag, carefully picking up a few shards, before dropping them in, sealing it up.

“The chair’s overturned, but it doesn’t like there’s anything on it…” Susan commented, peering closer. “That can’t be everything, can it?”

“I don’t think so…” Phoenix rubbed his chin. “Let’s take a look around.”

Susan nodded, following the lawyer as he took the lead deeper into the house. So far, everything seemed to be ordinary in the single-story home, save for more cameras evenly distributed to cover every foot, and Phoenix was about to call it then and there, before they entered into the garage.

“Ladies and gentlemen, we have found the Batcave…” Susan commented, looking around at the various technological gubbins scattered around the place. “Look at all this stuff.”

Phoenix frowned, looking at the scrap technologies lying on the table, and among them, a piece of rubber of latex that looked and felt almost like skin, sticking out like a sore thumb.

“Over here, a computer.” Susan waved Phoenix over, the lawyer dropping the material in response. “If anything’s got footage of what happened, it’ll be that.”

“That’s right.” John commented. “We’ve already combed through it and pulled what we could.”

Phoenix turned to the Police Chief. “’What we could?’”

“Somebody tried to wipe it.” John answered. “I’m having someone look at the hard drive, see what they can get from it.”

“And can I assume that’ll be presented as evidence tomorrow?” Phoenix assumed.

John nodded. “You assume correctly.” He glanced down at a watch on his wrist, then towards the two. “I’ve got to go. See you at court, Mr. Wright.” He offered, before turning to leave.

Susan huffed once John was out of earshot. “Stick up his ass, much?”

“All cops are like that.” Phoenix replied. “On duty, at least.” He looked around, sighing. “This isn’t good.”

“What do you mean?” Susan asked. “All we’ve seen is a few splotches of blood, cameras, and a smashed coffee table. It’s not that bad.”

“Susan, if there’s something I’ve learned, is that if the police are sure you’ve done it, there’s nothing stopping them from getting evidence that’ll pin it on you.” Phoenix replied. “Knowing my luck, they’ve got the murder weapon, with Will’s fingerprints all over it to boot.”

Susan groaned. “Great.”

“But… I’ve gotten people out of worse with less.” Phoenix said. “I think we’ve gotten all that we can from this stuff for now. Let’s get ready for the trial.”


	37. Turnabout Time Lord, Part Three

“So, this is it…” Will let out a shaky breath in the defense lobby, standing. “Either I get a not guilty… or I’m as good as dead.”

“Don’t worry, Will.” Phoenix told him. “I’ll do all I can to get you nothing short of a full acquittal. Before we go in there, is there anything you want to say?”

“…Not a lot, but thanks.” Will nodded. “I’ll owe you bigtime for this.”

“Don’t sweat it.” Phoenix replied. He looked to the wall clock, and the approaching bailiffs. “It’s time. One word of advice,” He told Will, as they proceeded. “Just don’t speak unless you’re told to do so. You think that’s common sense, until you realize everybody and their mothers does the exact opposite.”

Will nodded, and took a breath as the bailiff escorted him inside.

Phoenix also drew a breath, straightening his tie.

It was time.

****

The Judge slammed his gavel down, the chattering voices of the gallery falling silent. “Court is now in session for the trial of Mr. William Byers.”

“The prosecution is ready, Your Honor.” The prosecutor, a rotund, balding namby-pamby from New York by the name of Sloan replied.

“The defense is also ready, Your Honor.” Phoenix proclaimed in exchange.

“Up there, the Judge?” Susan pointed out to Phoenix quietly. “That’s Steve Harrington… I wondered what he was going to make of himself.”

“Very good.” Harrington stated. “Mr. Sloan, your opening statement, please.”

“Yes, Your Honor.” Sloan bowed his head slightly. “The defendant, William Byers, was found only one street away from the scene of the crime, mere minutes after the police had arrived on scene. The prosecution also has evidence clearing implicating Mr. Byers, as well as eyewitness testimony.”

“Witness…?” Susan mumbled to Phoenix. “The only witness we heard of was the neighbor, and I don’t think they saw it.”

“In short, this trial will be open-and-shut.” Sloan haughtily proclaimed.

“Hm.” Harrington snorted, “I’ll be the judge of that. Let’s begin.”

“Indeed.” Sloan agreed. “The prosecution would like to begin by calling its first witness. The police chief who investigated the crime scene personally, John Halsey.”

Phoenix huffed, as the bailiff escorted the aging SPARTAN inside. “Let’s hope Sloan has a better track record of getting his witnesses to talk than Edgeworth.”

John stood at the witness stand in the center of the room, waiting as the prosecution prepared.

“Witness, name and occupation, please.” Sloan prompted.

“John Halsey, Chief of Police for Hawkins PD.” He replied.

“Chief Hopper’s chosen successor, yeah, I remember…” Harrington recognized.

“Indeed, he chose the one to follow in his footsteps quite well.” Sloan interjected. “Now, if you could please describe to us the details of the murder…?”

John nodded. “Certainly.” The man pressed a button on the stand, and two televisions near the front activated, showing a floor map of the crime scene. “The body was found here,” An outline near the front door appeared, “Though the general disarray in the rest of the room made it quickly apparent there was a struggle?”

“And the cause of death?” Sloan inquired.

“A stab to the back, more specifically, the C4 and C5 vertebrae.” John answered. “The victim is said to have lost motor control for his upper body, and then bled out. The full report is here.” John stated, handing over the autopsy report. “The murder weapon was a kitchen knife, normally belonging to a set, bearing the fingerprints of the defendant.”

Harrington nodded. “The court accepts the autopsy report and the murder weapon into evidence.”

“I hate having to read over these things in court…” Phoenix mumbled, quickly flipping through the autopsy report. _(‘Time of death, nine AM. Cause of death, asphyxiation.’)_

“Now then, Chief Halsey,” Sloan began, “One of your men then arrested the defendant, who was only a short distance from the scene, correct?”

“Correct.” John confirmed.

“And why was he arrested?” Sloan pushed.

“His fingerprints were found on the weapon.” John answered. “And there is also another piece of evidence…”

“Hm… I’m curious about this ‘other evidence.’” Harrington commented. “The court requests you testify about this other evidence.”

“Certainly.”

**_[WITNESS TESTIMONY](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_sAzyTCZzQ) _ **

**_\--The Arrest--_ **

_“We received a phone call at about 9:45. As soon as it came in, we took off towards the crime scene.”_

**_“HOLD IT!”_** Phoenix commanded, grasping his chin gently. “This phone call came from the neighbor who found the body, yes?”

“That’s right.” John nodded.

“And they found the body forty-five minutes after the time of death…” Phoenix narrowed his eyes. “What were they doing there?”

“You’ll have to ask them.” John responded. “But I’m sure they were merely doing a check-in. Anyway…”

_“When we arrived on-scene, we immediately set out trying to piece together what happened. There, we found the knife.”_

**_“HOLD IT!”_** Phoenix brought up a picture of the murder weapon. “This knife?”

John nodded. “That knife.” He confirmed.

“And… It came from the crime scene?" Phoenix asked.

 ** _“OBJECTION!”_** Sloan slammed his hands down. “Of course, it came from the crime scene, that’s why it is in evidence!”

“Th-That’s not what I meant!” Phoenix stuttered. “I meant, where did the knife come from to begin with!? It was part of a set, so where’s the rest of the set!?”

“Oh, I see.” John stated. “The answer to that question is… We don’t know.”

Phoenix recoiled, like someone hit him. “What!?”

“It is part of a set,” John began, “But checking the victim’s and the defendant’s kitchens, we didn’t find any sets that it could’ve belonged to.”

“That’s an important detail!” Phoenix pointed. “I demand you amend your testimony to reflect this!”

“Sustained.” Harrington agreed. “Chief Halsey, please amend your testimony.”

_“After we arrived on scene, we found the knife, but it didn’t correspond to any sets in the victim’s kitchen, or the defendant’s.”_

**_“HOLD IT!”_** Phoenix commanded yet again. The courtroom fell silent, the lawyer leaning against the desk. “So, you checked the victim’s kitchen, the defendant’s… but I bet there’s still one place you haven’t looked into.”

“Oh?” John questioned.

“…The neighbor’s, naturally.” Phoenix replied with a grin and crossed arms.

 ** _“OBJECTION!”_** Sloan yelled. “Your Honor, the purpose of this testimony was to determine the nature of the other evidence, for the moment, anything else is irrelevant!”

“Irrelevant!?” Phoenix repeated incredulously.

“Objection sustained.” Harrington declared. “Witness, please continue.”

 _‘Damn! I was onto something there!’_ Phoenix mentally cursed.

_“After combing through the crime scene, we found a computer hooked up to the CCTV system. The hard drive had been wiped, but our technicians were able to recover some of the surviving data.”_

“Wait just a moment!” Harrington commanded. “Not only do you have the murder weapon, but you have data from the cameras!?”

John nodded. “That’s correct.”

“Uh oh…” Susan muttered to Phoenix. “This could be bad...”

“Yeah.” Phoenix agreed. “But there isn’t much in the way of anything else to go on here. It could be damaging… but we need to see it. Your Honor!”

“Hm? Yes, Mister Wright?”

“The defense requests the contents of the hard drive be presented for all to see!”

Sloan narrowed his eyes. “What kind of game are you playing at?”

“I’m just doing my job.” Phoenix answered.

“I’ll allow it.” Harrington conceded, “While the data is being prepared, the court will take a five-minute recess.”

****

Five minutes later, the court was reassembled, watching as a short eight-second clip, all that could be reconstructed, played back for all to see. They watched as the person on screen, Will with his short hair slicked slightly back, shoved Mister Clarke in the back to the floor, before stabbing him.

The video finished, and the mood became palpable.

Phoenix leaned against the desk, still and tense. _‘There was something wrong about that video, I’m sure of it, but what...?’_

Harrington shook his head. “This is decisive evidence indeed. With this in mind, I’m prepared to hand down my verdict. Will Byers, I’m sorry old friend, but I find you-“

 ** _“OBJECTION!”_** Phoenix slammed down his hands. “Your Honor, there is a glaring contradiction in this video, something that proves my client isn’t the one who could’ve committed the crime.”

“Oh?” Harrington raised an eyebrow. “What sort of contradiction?”

“Objection, Your Honor!” Sloan hollered. “You’re already prepared to end this we don’t need to hear it!”

Harrington paused for a moment. “I’ll hear what the defense has to say.”

Phoenix bowed gratefully. “Thank you, Your Honor. I’d like to direct the court’s attention to this moment in particular.” Phoenix fast-forwarded through the video, pausing, as the camera got a nearly perfect head-on shot of Will’s face, despite him being in the middle of the fight. “Notice it yet?”

“I’ve noticed that you’re digging your client into an even deeper hole.” Sloan scoffed.

Phoenix shook his head. “No… Take a look at his hair… Notice anything?”

“His… hair?” Sloan repeated. “What-?” He cut himself off, gasping as he realized it.

“I don’t understand.” Harrington confessed. “What is it?”

“Your Honor, take a good look at my client.” Phoenix requested. “You’ll note the bowl-cut hairstyle. Despite this, in the video recorded this morning, he is sporting a crew cut!”

“Hm, so he is.” Harrington noted. “But…”

“If the man in this video really is my client, then how do you explain the sudden hair growth between the time of the crime, and this trial!?” Phoenix prompted.

“It-It must be a wig!” Sloan insisted.

“In that case…” Phoenix crossed his arms. “Remove it.”

“What?” Sloan demanded.

“If it’s a wig, have it removed.” Phoenix prompted.

“Bailiff?” Harrington prompted.

The bailiff walked over, tugging on Will’s hair firmly, while trying to be as gentle about it as possible, before turning back, shaking his head.

“So, if it’s not a wig, then how do you explain the sudden growth?” Phoenix questioned. “Short answer: You can’t. The man in this video, and my client, are two separate individuals, or, in other words…” His finger shot out. “Will Byers wasn’t at the crime scene _[AT ALL!"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANcuqk7x33o)_

The crowd in the gallery began to uproar.

“Order!” Harrington declared, slamming the gavel. “There will be order, I say! Mister Wright!” He addressed, “The defendant is clearly in the video, how do you explain that?”

“I can’t.” Phoenix admitted. “Not yet. But, I think with the testimony of the next witness, everything is going to become abundantly clear.”

“…I see.” Harrington stated. “If nothing else, this has created reasonable doubt that must be investigated. Call in the next witness.”

****

“Witness, if you could state your name and occupation.” Harrington requested.

The neighbor that had stumbled across the crime scene sat on the stand silently, bandages wrapped around their face.

“Excuse me, hello?” Harrington prompted.

“Ahem,” Sloan cleared his throat, “If you’ll excuse me, Your Honor, this witness was in a severe car accident not long ago. It left his face severely scarred, and unable to speak.”

 ** _“OBJECTION!”_** Phoenix pointed. “That could be anyone under those bandages!”

“Now, now, Mr. Wright, do you really think that, knowing the witness’s condition, we wouldn’t take the proper precautions to ensure we got the correct man?” Sloan shook his head.

Phoenix seethed to himself. ‘ _Well, knowing the mental capacity of the cops I deal with back home…’_

“Something about this witness is… off.” Susan mumbled just loud enough for Phoenix to hear. “I can’t put my finger on it.”

“Now then, Mister Robert Tenderfoot,” Sloan read off from a sheet of paper, “Will you testify about what you saw?”

The bandaged man nodded, as the bailiff placed a text-to-speech terminal in front of him.

**_[WITNESS TESTIMONY](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HK2VLhbSaoc) _ **

**_\--What I Saw--_ **

_“I was in the middle of eating breakfast when I heard the commotion coming from Scott’s house.”_

**_“HOLD IT!”_** Phoenix commanded. “You were eating breakfast? In your condition?”

“It is painful, but not impossible.” The text-to-speech carried Robert’s words. “Now, may I continue?”

 _‘This might actually be really important…’_ Phoenix considered for a moment. “What did you have?”

 ** _“OBJECTION!”_** Sloan snarled. “This is an irrelevant line of questioning!”

“I don’t mind.” Robert stated. “Just a simple protein shake. All I really can consume since the accident.”

_‘Great, now I look dumb and like an asshole!’_

_“I decided to make my way over to check on Scott to see if he was okay.”_

**_“HOLD IT!”_** Phoenix ordered, rubbing his chin. “How did you know the victim?”

“We were neighbors, of course.” Robert replied. “And he used to be my science teacher back in middle school.”

 _‘Damn, nothing useful there, either.’_ “I see. Continue, please.”

_“When I entered the house, I saw the end of the struggle... And the killer. After seeing his face, the face of that man over there, I quickly ran back home, and called the police.”_

**_“OBJECTION!”_** Phoenix slammed his hands down. “So, you witnessed the end of the fight, more specifically Mister Clarke’s death, correct?”

“That’s right.” Robert nodded.

“And at that exact instant, you ran to call the police?”

The witness nodded again. “Exactly.

Phoenix shook his head. “Mister Tenderfoot, you’re not being entirely honest with us.”

The bandaged witness recoiled. “W-What!? Of course I am!”

“No, you aren’t.” Phoenix retorted. “I’d like to direct the court’s attention to this:” Phoenix held up a sheet of paper. “Mr. Clarke’s autopsy report. The time of death is listed as 9:00AM.”

Sloan scoffed. “Yes? And?”

“Recall the Chief’s earlier testimony.” Phoenix prompted. “They received a phone call at about 9:45…”

Sloan recoiled as if he was struck.

“If Mister Clarke’s life ended at 9:00…” Phoenix slammed down his hands. “Then, Mister Tenderfoot, can you explain the forty-five-minute gap between the time you found the body, and the time the police were called!?”

["!!!"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8cnQi80634)

The gallery erupted into discordant chattering.

“Order!” Harrington slammed down the gavel three times. “Order! Order!” The gallery fell silent, and Harrington turned to look at Phoenix. “Wright, what are you saying!?”

“This ‘witness…’” Phoenix glared. “Is anything but!” He accused.

 ** _“OBJECTION!”_** Sloan hurled. “Wright! This may fly in LA, but not here! You can’t accuse a witness without proof!”

“Oh, I’m not accusing him of anything…” Phoenix pointed. “Not without proof! First; 45 minutes between the discovery of the body, and the call to notify the police, that rings as a bit extreme, even if you were in shock! Either he stumbled onto the crime scene long after he said he did…” Phoenix slammed his hands. “Or he is the real killer!”

“Th-that is absurd!” Sloan stammered.

“Is it?” Phoenix retorted. “After Clarke’s death, the killer took the time to locate the computer in his garage and wipe the CCTV recordings from the hard drive!” His eyes narrowed. “Something that could be accomplished well within forty-five minutes’ time!”

“B-But the murder weapon!” Robert tried to shift away the blame. “It has his fingerprints on it!” He pointed to Will.

Phoenix nodded. “Yes.” He granted. “But fingerprints can be forged. But more importantly… The knife’s point of origin is still unknown! It was not from the victim’s kitchen, or the defendant’s, but if someone close by committed the crime, say a neighbor…” He slammed down his hands. “It would be well within their power to take a knife from their own kitchen.”

 ** _“OBJECTION!”_** Sloan snarled. “The witness was the one to find the body and report it! Disregarding the mere idea that he is the ‘true killer,’ what would he stand to gain by shifting the blame onto another!? This is preposterous, I request to have this stricken from the record!”

 ** _“OBJECTION!”_** Phoenix retorted. “Your Honor, if the witness cannot offer incontrovertible evidence that the defendant was present at the crime scene, then with what’s been learned so far, this is the final nail in the coffin that proves my client _wasn’t_ there!”

 ** _“OBJECTION!”_** Sloan screamed. “His face!” The prosecutor insisted. “What about his face!? He was caught on camera!”

“It is hard to argue against that.” Harrington conceded.

“The defense submits that it isn’t!” Phoenix argued. “Plastic surgery has come a long way since its inception. Furthermore, of all the blood samples analyzed from the crime scene, _all_ of them belong to one person… Scott Clarke!” He presented yet another document from the court record. “Aside from the face in the video, which could have easily been faked, and the fingerprints on the weapon, which could have also been faked, there is no concrete evidence linking my client to this murder!”

The courtroom fell silent, and after a moment, the silence was broken by a low chuckle.

Phoenix looked around. ["..."](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmYPxdQpwpQ)

“Very commendable, Mister Wright,” Sloan told him, “But those are mere theories.” He slammed down a hand on the desk. “Where is your proof?”

Phoenix staggered back. “My-my proof…?”

“Nincompoop!” Susan hissed. “You were so busy throwing around accusations, you forgot to prove them!”

“I-I can prove it… I know I can…” Phoenix clenched his fists. _‘I just need to think… When he was first brought in, something about him seemed off… But what? Come on, Phoenix, think!’_ He took in a sharp breath, as something hit him. _‘Those bandages are clean… too clean. Even if they were only put on today, they should’ve started showing a little bit of griminess by now…’_ “Your honor!” Phoenix spoke up.

“Yes, Mister Wright?”

“The defense requests permission to remove the bandages surrounding Mr. Tenderfoot’s head!” Phoenix requested.

The witness began shifting uncomfortably.

“I object!” Sloan hollered.

Harrington considered it for a moment. “Overruled. Bailiff, please assist in the removal of Mr. Tenderfoot’s bandages.”

“Wait!” Robert punched into the keyboard. “You can’t remove them! It’s against my rights!”

Phoenix crossed his arms, with a smug smile. “If you have nothing to hide, you shouldn’t be scared.”

“I-I’m not scared!” Robert denied. “But my burns are still healing!”

“We will gladly administer any medical assistance you may require after the fact.” Harrington stated. “Bailiff?”

The bailiff nodded and turned to Tenderfoot. The man struggled for a moment, before another bailiff grabbed him by the shoulders, allowing the first to remove the bandage.

“Oh my God…” Harrington breathed, staring at the man under the bandages.

An exact copy of Will, save for hair that was obviously shorter, glared back at him.


	38. Turnabout Time Lord, Part Four

“Well… It appears the cat’s out of the bag.” The duplicate of Will on the witness stand began, speaking through his mouth.

“T-Two different people with the same face?” Harrington stuttered. “How is this possible?”

“Mr. Wright was along the right track. I did commit the crime…” He confessed. “But I didn’t get my face changed through plastic surgery.”

“Then… Why do you look like the defendant?” Harrington asked.

“It started thirty-three years ago…” The duplicate answered. “When I was created, to be a replacement for that kid over there.” He pointed to the real Will. “He went missing for a few days, so I was built to make sure nobody caught on.”

“Built…” Susan repeated. “You’re an android.”

“Robo-Will, I was named.” He confessed. “Everything was all fine and peppy in my world… Until _he_ showed back up.” He snarled, pointing to Will.

“Me?” Will questioned.

“Yes, you.” Robo-Will spat. “The moment you and your little girlfriend came back, I wasn’t needed anymore. So I was shut down, and tossed away, like a piece of scrap.”

“If that is the case, then why are you standing here?” Harrington questioned.

“A bolt of lightning struck close to where I was buried.” Robo-Will answered. “The charge was enough to jumpstart my central power source.”

Sloan scoffed. “This is ridiculous? Robots? You can’t expect me to believe-“

Robo-Will tore his shirt open, revealing the exposed electronics and metal framework in his torso, everyone in the court gasping audibly.

“B-But why kill Scott Clarke!?” Harrington demanded. “He didn’t do anything to you.”

The android glared at Steve. “He found me. I was struggling to dig my way out of the ground, and Clarke was there to help me out.”

“So you repaid kindness with murder!?”

“Scott Clarke was the only one who knew the android even existed, evidently.” Phoenix proposed, looking at the court. “So, he killed Clarke, to preserve his secret.”

“Good guess.” The android granted.

“But why!?” Will demanded. “Why go through all that!?”

“God, you’re dense.” The android sneered. “Isn’t it obvious? I wanted to replace you.”

“Replace me?” Will breathed.

“I was created to be you, to live your life. You think I would let something like time get in my way?” The android rhetorically asked. “I had to get you out of the way, but since Clarke knew of my existence, he’d catch on fairly quickly… So I had to put him out of the way first.”

“But you framed him!” Susan said. “You wouldn’t have been able to take replace him then!”

“On the contrary.” The android retorted. “I had planned to simply hide the body, and no one would be the wiser…”

“But you made a mistake.” Phoenix crossed his arms. “I’m guessing that, as an android, you don’t leave fingerprints. But in order to effectively replace Will completely, you would’ve had to modify yourself to be capable of doing so. And thus, when choosing the murder weapon, you grabbed the knife without gloves, forgetting what you did… Thus, implicating Will.”

“Clever…” The android nodded. “Clever… So, yes, I admit it…” He shrugged. “I killed Scott Clarke. If it’s any consolation, I didn’t want to make him suffer, but he was putting up more of a fight than I expected.”

“Bailiff!” Harrington slammed down the gavel. “Detain the witness.” The bailiff moved, doing so. “With this, I am now ready to pass down my verdict. This court finds the defendant, William Byers… **NOT GUILTY!** This court is adjourned.” Harrington declared, slamming the gavel down one last time.

****

“Ha ha!” Will laughed, pulling Susan into a hug, spinning her around. “You did it!”

“We did it!” Susan agreed, looking between herself and Phoenix.

“Thank you!” Will released Susan, vigorously shaking the lawyer’s hand. “Thank you so much! Is there anything I can do to repay you!?”

“An innocent person has gone free.” Phoenix humbly replied. “That’s enough for me.”

Will nodded, turning to the courtroom door. “What’s going to happen to the android?”

“They’ll probably hold a separate trial for it.” Phoenix answered.

Will thinned his lips. “Shame about it.”

“I liked the short hair, though.” Susan commented, Will turning to her. “It’s a good look.”

“We should probably-“

The lawyer was knocked off his feet, as an explosion tore through the courthouse.

Susan, who was standing closest to the door, was blasted back into Will, both of them falling to the ground. The fire alarm began to ring, as smoke and silica dust began to permeate the air, the sprinklers going off overhead.”

“Ow…” Phoenix groaned, getting back to his feet. “You two!” He ran over to the two fallen teenage time travelers. “Are you alright!? Can you hear me!?”

Will’s eyes creaked open, and he looked around, dazed and disoriented. He looked to Susan, and everything seemed to click, before he reached into his pocket for something. A few seconds passed, and the TARDIS rematerialized, vanishing a moment later.

****

“…And there you have it.” Will finished, leaning back on the bed in the TARDIS medbay, Susan on the bed next to him.

“Oh, Will…” Joyce covered her mouth. “I’m so sorry you had to go through that.”

“I’m fine now, don’t worry.” Will told her, smiling. “I had a friend ready to jump to my defense.”

“Yes, and the Turnabout Terror himself, apparently.” The Doctor agreed, checking over Susan’s wounds, rubbing a vial of what looked like pink lotion on her injuries.

“And apparently, you crashed his wedding.” Will noted.

“Yep.” The Doctor admitted, evidently seeing no problem with it. “It was his fault, he didn’t invite me.”

“Right…” Will replied, slowly nodding. “…And flirted with one of the bridesmaids?”

The Doctor swallowed, clearing his throat. “Franziska. Lovely woman circa 2029. Once you can get past the Edgelord at her side… Still, lovely couple.” The Doctor reflected. “They stayed in touch for a while… Don’t know how that happened… Sorry, rambling. Be right back, you lot,” He shook his cane, the handle springing open to reveal a sonic emitter inside, “I’ve got an android to shut down.” He went running out of the TARDIS, and Joyce followed, leaving Susan and Will in the medbay, alone.

“…What do you think caused the explosion?” Will asked.

“The android, probably… It must’ve blown up its own power source.” Susan quietly responded. “…I hope everybody there is alright.”

“I think they are.” Will replied. “And, if you want, we could always go back and make sure…”

Susan slowly nodded, turning to Will. “And you… You got me out of there, to the Doctor... You saved me.”

“Well, I…” Will rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah, I guess I did.”

“And you piloted the TARDIS to do so.” Susan breathed. “How? How did you even _summon_ her?”

“I… I don’t know.” Will admitted. “At the time, all I could focus on was… was…” Will coughed. “Well, it was you.”

“Me?” Susan repeated.

“Yeah… I saw you there, on top of me, unmoving… And it was like something in me snapped. I didn’t care about anything else, and I just had to get you out of there, consequences be damned.”

Susan smiled, face flushing. “You know what, Will?”

“What?”

Susan shifted, before taking a breath, and planting a quick kiss on his lips. “Thank you.”

“…oh.” Will quietly and bashfully replied.

****

“Nick!” Maya came running over to him the moment he crossed the door’s threshold. “It’s been three days!” She threw her arms around him, relived. A microcosm later, she pulled away, and smacked him in the chest. “Where have you been!?”

“Indiana.” Phoenix responded, flinching. “Don’t… Don’t ask. I want to forget it ever happened.”

“Hmm…” Maya leaned slightly forward, a grin on her face. “Would it, by any chance, have to do with the mysterious pile of money I found in your office?”

“P-P-Pile…?” Phoenix repeated, pushing the door to his office open, staring in shock at the pallet of cash.

“You know what this means!” Maya clapped her hands, smiling widely. “Dinner’s on you!”


	39. The Master of the Daleks, Part One

In the streets of Hawkins, not far from the town square, a woman walked into a small clinic. More specifically, this woman was Cortana. Still a short time out from her due date, she was undergoing one of her regular doctors’ visits, in order to make sure everything was proceeding smoothly. John would’ve been with her this time around, but Hopper called him to the police station, something about a job offer.

“Misses Halsey.” The young receptionist greeted with a smile. “Good to see you again.” She handed Cortana a small clipboard. “You know the drill.”

Cortana nodded, quickly filling out the information. By now, she was at a point where she could fill in each blank in seconds and handed the completed form back over.

Cortana sighed, and sat down. She hated procedure like this.

****

“Cortana Halsey,” The doctor, a handsome stubbled man who looked only thirty at the most, greeted entering. “Is that you?”

“Yeah,” Cortana answered. “Where’s doctor Michelle?” She questioned.

“Out with a stomach virus, I’m afraid.” The man regretfully answered. “But don’t fret, you’re in good hands. Doctor Harold Saxon.” He bowed slightly.

“You look a little young to be a doctor.” Cortana replied, suspicious.

“Oh, don’t worry, I’m more than capable.” Doctor Saxon replied. “In fact, you could say I’m a _Master_ at my craft…”

****

Will awkwardly jittered, walking out towards the TARDIS, parked in his backyard shed, night having long fallen on Hawkins.

Normally, the Doctor and Susan just skipped to the next weekend after dropping Will off, but Joyce was having none of that, keeping the Time Lord tethered to them in the proper sequence, because, and I quote; “If my son grows a third arm because of that freaky cream you gave him, I’m going to kill you.”

Which worked out for him.

Will approached and was about to slide his key into the lock, when the doors swung open on their own, absolutely no one standing behind them. Evidently, the TARDIS was grateful for him saving Susan’s life.

Speaking of Susan… that’s why he was here, he supposed. Instead of talking to her directly, however…

Will walked through the empty console room, down the winding, twisting corridors, hoping the ship would guide him to the Doctor.

Turns out, his hopes were well-founded, as he found himself standing outside the LEGO room, one of the Doctor’s preferred sanctums.

“Will!” The Doctor turned to him with a giant grin on his face, standing at the top of a stepladder. Despite his leg injury, he jumped down from the top, landing on his feet, running over to Will. “Look at that!” He pointed proudly.

Will blinked, awestruck momentarily. “Is that the Millennium Falcon?”

“One-to-one scale!” The Doctor giddily answered. “Built entirely out of LEGO! Best part: I put down the smooth bits, so you can walk around inside barefoot! Isn’t it great!?”

“Yeah…” Will smiled in agreement, thinking about the fit Dustin would have if he could see it. He shook his head, remembering what he came here to do. “Listen… Can we talk?”

The Doctor’s eyes widened as he paled. “Susan! Will’s having an emotion!”

“No!” Will placed a hand over the Doctor’s mouth. “I came here to talk to you because, well…” He nervously jittered. “I don’t want her to know right now.”

The Doctor blinked. “Tell you what, let’s take this somewhere else.”

****

“So,” The Doctor asked, setting a teacup down in front of Will, “What seems to be the problem?”

“It’s, um… You would say Susan and I are friends, right?”

“Will, that is a _gross_ understatement.” The Doctor replied.

“Okay then.” Will took a breath, psyching himself up. “So, she’s my best friend… And she… Well… She kissed me.”

The Doctor’s eyebrows shot up, but he didn’t look too surprised. “When?”

“A few days ago.” He answered. “After that mess with my trial, and the android.”

“Damn!” The Doctor cursed, as the lights overhead pulsed.

“What?” Will asked with concern.

“Lost the bet.” The Doctor sighed.

“Bet!?”

“Yeah, _I_ said it would take until a big holiday before you two started snogging each other’s faces off, and the TARDIS said otherwise.” He crossed his arms, grumbling. “That’s what I get for arguing with a time machine.”

“Wait, you…” Will began. “Placed bets on us!?”

“Yep.” The Doctor freely admitted. “Did it the moment you set foot on the TARDIS.”

Will spluttered, embarrassed. “Why?”

“Because you’re a teenage human male with a sensitive side, and she’s a pretty alien who’s very affectionate.” The Doctor answered. “It was a matter of _when_ , not if.”

Will scowled. “Any other bets I should know about?”

“No!” The Doctor quickly denied. “If I tell you, then that’ll throw it off!”

Will sighed, rubbing his forehead. “Look, I- I wanted to talk to you because… Well, I liked it.” He confessed. “And I like her… No… It might be too strong of a word, but I think I love her.”

“Haha!” The Doctor shot to his feet, triumphantly pumping his fists. “Hear that, dear? You owe me a new fez!” He directed to the TARDIS.

“Doctor!” Will said.

“Right, sorry.” He coughed. “But why tell me?”

“Well, you’re her dad…” Will awkwardly shifted, as if he thought the Doctor would snap at him at any moment. “I just thought-“

“Will,” The Doctor cut him off, dead serious. “Susan may be my child, but… She’s a woman too. It may be different for Earth teenagers, but for Time Lords… She doesn’t need me to shield her from the outside world anymore. That’s why I keep taking her places with me, even though it’s dangerous. I trust she can handle herself… And part of that trust is allowing her to forge relationships with whoever she likes.”

“…Thank you.” Will breathed out, relieved. “I didn’t know- I mean, I wasn’t sure-“ He sighed. “…There is something else, I might need your help with.”

“Oh?”

“How do I know? If she likes me back, I mean… She said she did, a while ago, but how do I know for sure?”

“Will,” The Doctor leaned forward. “She’s already created a marriage bond with you.”

“A _what_?” Will quietly asked.

“The deepest, most intense bond between a Time Lord, and whoever they make it with.” The Doctor answered. “She wasn’t lying when she said she could bond with you… But she didn’t tell you the full implications of it.”

Will spluttered, red. “You mean we’re, we-we-we-“ He inhaled, cutting himself off. “Oh my God, you’re my father-in-law. But how did you know!?” Will asked. “Susan and I, we did it without telling anyone!”

“There’s _nothing_ that goes on in the halls of this TARDIS that I don’t know about.” The Doctor answered, a bit chillingly. He suddenly smiled. “Just for future reference. So!” The Doctor clapped. “Now that the cat’s out of the bag, where to first?”

“…huh?”

“On your first date, silly!” The Doctor answered. “You can’t be married without having gone on a date! That’s just bad manners.”

Will looked on silently for a moment. “…How do I even ask her?”

“Well, just try to be all fidgety and generally awkward and rubbish.” The Doctor answered.

“What, why?”

“Because you’re going to be like that anyway, so, might as well make it part of the plan and you can feel confident about it.” The Doctor answered. “Oh, do something about that smell too, while you’re at it.” He recommended.

Will glanced down. “But I put Axe on.”

“Yeah, that’s the problem.” The Doctor retorted. “Horrible sensory assault, that stuff… Don’t know how I pulled it off last regeneration…” He reached into his pocket. “Here.” He pulled out a bottle, throwing it to Will. “That’s not nearly as bad on our senses of smell.”

“Old Spice…”

The Doctor smiled, nodding, as he patted Will on the back. “Now then… Go get her.”

****

“Will,” Susan tilted her head, opening her bedroom door, “I thought you were asleep?”

“I was,” Will jittered, “But I got to thinking… Would, you, maybe…” The volume of his words died down to a mumble.

Susan raised an eyebrow. “Sorry?”

“I was w-wondering…” He blushed nervously, stuttering.

“Will,” Susan placed her hands on his shoulders, “Don’t speak, think it…”

“Oh, telepathy, right…” Will swallowed. _‘Would you like to go out with me sometime?’_

Susan’s eyes positively sparkled, a grin splitting her features, as she nodded. _‘Yes! Absolutely! It’s about time!’_

 _‘About time?’_ Will repeated in his head, a bit afraid.

 _‘I was wondering how long it would take for you to ask me out on a proper date.’_ She smiled. _‘No offense, but it’s not really a date if the Doctor is with us… and there’re lives at stake.’_

_‘I see what you mean. So… There’s an arcade in Hawkins. I was thinking we could hit it up tomorrow?’_

_‘Never been to a proper arcade before… Sounds like fun.’_

_‘Great! It’s a date!’_ Will smiled. _‘Oh, by the way… The Doctor told me something interesting… We’re going to have to talk about this ‘marriage bond’ thing.’_

Susan’s face flushed tomato red. _‘Oh, dear lord…’_

 _‘Relax, I’m not mad!’_ Will instantly tried to cover. _‘If I have to have anybody in my head, I’m glad it’s you… Besides, I don’t know why you’re embarrassed, it’s not like we consummated it or anything.’_

_‘WILL!’_

****

The next day came without much fanfare and passed much of the same way. Will attended school, getting worried (and even a couple of annoyed looks) from his friends, but his mind was elsewhere. The benefit of having another person in your mind, you always had someone to talk to.

When school finally let out, Will made a beeline straight for his house, sitting his bag down, before grabbing a shower, and looking through his closet for something nice.

Susan probably wouldn’t be too concerned with what he was wearing… but he wanted her to know he was trying for her. Looking through his clothes, he came to a decision to wear a simple white t-shirt, jeans, and a jacket. Not too extravagant, but presentable. Something was still off about it, though… It clicked a moment later.

“Mom,” Will came running out, worried that he might not have enough time. “Who’d you get to cut your hair?”

“The Doctor did it.” The woman answered, looking through the fridge for something to make.

“The Doctor?” Will repeated incredulously.

Joyce simply shrugged. “The Doctor. Why?”

“I’ve got a date!” He answered, running out towards the TARDIS.

Joyce almost dropped the ground beef she held in shock. “Date!?”

****

The Doctor made a show of throwing the same, cover… thing that barbers and the like used over Will.

“Now, what are we thinking?” The Doctor rattled off, a bit too into the whole ‘Barbering’ thing. “Buzzcut? The Einstein? How about we curl it?”

“Um…” Will pulled a photo out of his pocket, handing it over to the Doctor. It was the snapshot that had been pointed out during his trial, showing his robotic duplicate, with the short hair. “I was thinking this, actually.”

The Doctor took it, looked at the contents for a moment, before smiling and tossing it away. “Nice choice, does a good job of complimenting your jawline. Don’t know if it’s the case for Susan, but most females I’ve met like a strong jawline.”

Will glanced at the Doctor. “Is that why you look like that?”

“No… Shut up!” The Doctor spluttered. “Wait a minute… You didn’t get into the parts of the media room that we blocked off, did you?”

“No, Susan just said she thought it was a good look on me…” Will shifted.

The Doctor rolled his eyes. “Great. Least I know whose fault it is if the paparazzi see you two and get the wrong idea about the wrong people. Now, hold still.” The Doctor ordered, snipping some scissors. “Don’t want to slip and nick something important.”

Will gulped, glancing at the scissors as the Doctor came in.

****

“See, what did I tell you!” The Doctor gestured at the mirror proudly. “You look like a million bucks! See, most people forget this, but hair is actually one of the most important factors that accentuates certain facial features. With that bowl cut, you looked like a boy, but now you look like a _man._ ” The Doctor suddenly huffed. “If that’s what you prefer. Could never get the hang of looking manly. It’s,” He gestured to his face. “The beard doesn’t come in quite right, makes me look like a twelve-year old who glued some bits of hair to his chin and called it a day.”

Will, unsure of how to respond, simply said; “…Great.”

“It is great!” The Doctor responded. “My handiwork. I was a bit worried in the middle of it, but I think it turned out pretty good. Now,” He patted Will on the back, sending the teenager on his way. “Be gentlemanly, get her back before midnight, and if you do something to make her angry with you… My advice is this; shack up with the Platypi.”

Will turned around in surprise, as the Doctor shoved him out into the hallway, slamming the door. “Platypi!?”

“They sweat milk, good source of calcium when you’re out in the doghouse!” The Doctor called in response.

Will shook his head and began the trek to Susan’s room.

The Doctor let out a sigh. “Now… Will and Susan out of the TARDIS…” He considered, slipping off his frock coat and boots.

Hitting a lever on the wall, a hammock fell from the ceiling. The Time Lord, despite the pain it would cause him in his leg, took a running jump, landing in the hammock perfectly.

“It’s time for some me time.” The Doctor smiled to himself, leaning his head back on his hands, Bob the Builder playing on the screen above.

An electric tingle began to crackle in the air, and looking around in surprise, the Doctor could see a faint blue glow surrounding him.

Trying to sprint for his coat to grab the sonic screwdriver, the Doctor vanished in a pillar of light, his coat left behind.

****

Will twiddled his thumbs nervously, as he walked up to Susan’s door, knocking.

“Just a second!” She replied.

Will jittered for a moment, before the door slid open, and he was met with Susan.

The two of them stood there, staring at each other, awestruck.

Susan, who hadn’t worn makeup since he met her, had put some on, making her entire face look like it gently, angelically shined, and Will looked on. He’d considered her attractive, yes, even for an alien, but her makeup only added to that, and Will was positively enraptured.

Susan too, was struck by Will’s appearance. “You got rid of the bowl.” She said.

“I did.” He confirmed, finding his words. “You’re not wearing your suit.”

Susan looked down at what she was wearing, a red jumper and jeans. “I could change-“

“No!” Will quickly replied. “You look good.”

Susan blushed. “Well… You don’t look so bad yourself. So… Arcade?”

Will held out his arm for her to take. “Right this way.”

****

Sweet Dreams blared from the Arcade’s speakers as the two teenagers, one a fifteen going-on-sixteen from Earth, the other a three-hundred-year-old from Gallifrey, found themselves losing themselves in the games.

“Go, go!” Will cheered Susan on, as she stood behind the controls. “You’re almost there!”

Shortly after arriving in the arcade, Susan found herself pulled into Donkey Kong… and then made either the best, or worst impulse decision Will had ever seen. She was trying to beat Billy Mitchell’s world-record winning high score.

A feat she’d already accomplished. Now, she was going to blow it out of the water.

A crowd of gamers of all ages watched, as Susan seemed to become one with the game, jumping and moving at the exact correct moments to maximize her scoring.

“Holy shit!” Lucas, of all people, pushed through the crowd, popped into existence behind them. “Guys, look at the score!”

“Nine-hundred thousand!?” Dustin incredulously looked at the score counter, rounding down.

“No way,” Mike pushed him out of the way, “…no way.”

Max clapped her hands, giving Susan a pat on the back. “Go, girl, go!”

“Stop talking!” Susan commanded. She reached the top of the level, and Donkey Kong fell. She and Will watched with bated breath, and the score counter ticked over.

“ONE MILLION!” The two whooped triumphantly.

“Ha ha!” Susan laughed.

“We did it!” Will cheered, pulling her into a hug, as the crowd behind them cheered as well. “Somebody get the Guinness Book of World records!”

“And somebody call Billy Mitchell too, tell him his record’s been busted!” Susan turned to look at the Party. “Hey, guys, how’s it hanging?”

“She’s hot and she likes video games…” Dustin breathed. “Will, where did you _find_ this girl?”

Will began stammering, while Susan just laughed.

****

“So, a million points.” Mike began, sitting directly across from Will and Susan, the alien teenager eating a slice of pizza. “How long did it take for that to happen?”

“Well,” Susan began speaking before Will could get a word out, “Will and I came here at around… five-ish? We were going to stay for a little while, and then there was somewhere else he wanted to take me for the rest of our date, but I saw Donkey Kong, and I got a bit sidetracked.”

“So, you guys have been here for the past five hours trying to break that record?” Lucas asked, drinking a soda.

“Three.” Will corrected. “We’d been playing other stuff for the first two.”

“Yeah, I broke the high scores on everything else in this place.” Susan boasted. “Except for Dig Dug.”

“Thanks.” Max somewhat sarcastically replied, before something hit her. “Wait, earlier, you said date… Oh my God, we’re not interrupting, are we?”

“Yes.” Will stated.

“No.” Susan said at the same time. They glanced at each other, before turning back. “Yes, but you guys aren’t unwelcomed.” She spoke up for both.

Will frowned, as he looked over the group. “Where’s El?” He asked. “I thought she was starting to get out more often.”

“She’s helping John search.” Dustin answered.

Will’s eyebrows shot up. “Search? For what?”

“Dude, have you been living under a rock?” Dustin retorted. “For Cortana, man! She’s missing.”

Will felt an icy spike drive into his heart. “…Missing?”


	40. Master of the Daleks, Part Two

The Doctor drew in a massive gulp of air, shooting to his feet, frantically looking around. The architecture was very obviously Time Lord, TARDIS default if he wasn’t mistaken, but it felt wrong… sinister.

A woman was sitting down and looked up at the Doctor. “Doctor…”

The Doctor checked himself, before quickly noticing his perception filter to keep people from recognizing his face was gone. “Hello again.” He said. “Cortana, was it?”

“It’s you…” She got to her feet. “You’re here.” The AI-turned-woman looked the Time Lord up and down.

The Doctor threw out his arms. “I’m here.”

“I knew someone would find me!” She began excitedly. “Did John send you? El?”

The Doctor gave the woman a regrettable smile. “No, on either count I’m afraid. What are you doing here?”

“I don’t know.” Cortana sighed. “One minute, I was at the hospital getting a check-up, and then… I woke up here. Wherever here is.”

The Doctor glanced at her, before taking in more detail of their surroundings. They were in a hexagonal room, floor polished completely white, the walls the same shade, broken by the yellow roundels. “You don’t know?”

“No.” Cortana admitted. “Do you?”

“I have some suspicions.” The Doctor replied. _‘Some very nasty suspicions.’_ He glanced at her. “Check-up?”

“Yeah.” Cortana gestured down to her stomach, which protruded slightly.

“Oh, how long!?” The Doctor excitedly asked.

“About six months.” Cortana answered.

“Well, don’t worry, I’ll get you and your baby out of here safe and sound. You have my word.” He pledged, feeling the wall. “Aha.” He stopped, upon finding a small seam.

“What is it?” Cortana asked.

“The door.” The Doctor answered, taking a step back, frowning. “It’s locked… I’ve got an idea.”

“Which is?”

The Doctor’s nose scrunched up, “We wait.”

****

“…So, where’d you last see her?” Susan asked, looking over the group.

“She’d gone to the hospital for a check-up on the baby.” John answered, the man looking haggard like he’d been up all night, probably because he had been.

Will, upon learning of the news, called for the date to end, going into what Susan had deemed ‘traveling hero’ mode, demeanor changing to what he acted like when there was trouble going down. Susan, too, had shifted into investigator mode.

The rest of the Party had doubts that Susan could help, but the moment she ‘deduced’ the group’s involvement with the government and interdimensional monsters, they decided to reconvene at John’s cabin. The SPARTAN had his misgivings, but Susan flashed the psychic paper, whatever was written on it allaying his fears.

“And when was this?” Susan asked, glancing around the cabin for any sign of clues.

“Just yesterday.” John answered.

“Why weren’t you with her?” Will asked.

“Hopper had something to talk to me about.” John replied. “Joyce talked him into running for mayor, and he needs someone to replace him as Police Chief, something he doesn’t trust Powell or Callaghan to do.”

Susan and Will glanced at each other.

 _‘Chief Halsey… Obviously, he accepts it.’_ Susan thought at Will. “Who was the last person to see her?” She asked of John aloud.

“The doctor.” El stated for John.

“Doctor… Doctor who?” Susan repeated at a mumble, fearing that the Time Lord had pulled the woman into something while Susan and Will were on their date.

“Thing is, Cortana’s disappearance isn’t the only one connected to him.”

Will raised an eyebrow. “Who else?”

It was Max, arms crossed defensively over herself, who spoke up next. “Neil…”

“Neil?” Will repeated. “As in Neil Hargrove?”

“No, Will, Neil Diamond,” She sarcastically shot back, “Yes, Neil Hargrove!”

Will looked at all the members of the group. “How long’s he been gone?”

“About… Two days?” Mike spoke up.

Susan looked towards John. “What did you say this doctor’s name was?”

“Harold Saxon.”

Susan took a sharp intake of breath. It was so much worse than what she had thought.

****

The doors on one of the pristine white walls swung open, and the Master strode in, clapping and laughing.

“You’re up!” The Master giggled. “I was worried the teleport would jumble up the old synapses…”

The Doctor stood, glowering at his ancient frenemy. “Kidnapping me out of my own TARDIS? Okay, that’s par for the course. But a pregnant woman who hasn’t done anything to you?” He growled.

“Oh, straight to business, are we?” The Master rhetorically asked. “I was hoping to catch up.”

The Doctor’s fists clenched. “Let. Her. Go.”

“Hmm, let me thing… How about no?” The Master retorted. “See, she’s kind of important to what I have planned.” He told the Doctor, stage-whispering.

“I don’t even know you!” Cortana spoke up.

“Hush, sweetheart, mummy and daddy are talking.” The Master shot at Cortana.

The Doctor let out a rueful chuckle. “You know, you always were the stupid one out of the two of us, but this takes the cake. I’ve beaten you so many times, I’ve lost count. And now, you brought me here, right where I can do the most damage.”

“Well, you’re half-right.” The Master shrugged. “I mean, I did bring you here.”

The Doctor’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?”

“I needed you somewhere where you couldn’t do any harm, here we are.” The Master gestured around. “A Doctor-proof prison.”

“So, I’m your prisoner?” The Doctor sarcastically, bitingly laughed in the Master’s face.

“For now.” The Master replied. “See, I know better than to try and kill you. You always find a way out of it. But, I will give you one last request. A meal. Because I’m nice like that.”

The Doctor began wracking his brain. “A banana.”

The Master’s eyebrow shot up. “A banana?”

“Yes, cavendish, a whole bunch of nice, firm, yellow ones if you’re feeling particularly generous, your lordship.” The Doctor sarcastically bowed. “Oh, and it has to have the peel. That’s the best part.”

The Master looked at the Doctor, disgusted. “Looks like I’m not the sociopath around here…” He muttered, walking out.

“See?” The Doctor turned to Cortana as the door shut. “Patience pays off.”

****

“Harold Saxon.” Susan strode into the TARDIS with a purpose. “AKA the Master.”

“The Master!?” Will repeated, the door slamming shut behind him. The others were waiting in his house, anticipating their return. “He’s back.”

“Of course he’s back. He always comes back.” Susan sighed, leaning on the console. “Hello.” She frowned, as an alert popped up on the scanner.

“What is it?” Will asked.

“There’s been a teleport breach.” Susan repeated. Her eyes widened, and she began frantically typing something into the keypad.

“What are you doing?” Will asked.

“Doing a lifeform scan.” She answered. “Oh, no…” Susan looked at the results, which proclaimed her and Will to be the only two lifeforms on-board and gulped. “The Doctor’s gone.”

“Well… That’s good, isn’t it?”

“Good!?” Susan repeated, whipping around.

“W-Well, yeah.” Will stuttered. “If the Master’s taken Cortana, and now the Doctor’s missing, that means he’s with her. They can help each other out.”

“Right, okay…” Susan nodded. “…I’m still worried.”

“I know.” Will empathized. “But, he’s the Doctor, he’ll think of something.”

****

The Doctor snorted, as he counted the time since the Master had left. Waiting for a few minutes, the Doctor set into work.

“What are you doing?” Cortana asked.

“Getting us out of here.” He answered, tossing the banana the sinister Time Lord had provided, around in his hand.

“With a banana?” Cortana huffed. “Eating’s a good way to stave off starvation, but I don’t see how that’s going to help.”

“Here’s a little secret:” The Doctor retorted. “I don’t like bananas because they’re good sources of potassium.”

“What?”

“I like bananas…” The Doctor grinned, stepping back from the door. “Because the stems are perfect for lockpicking.” He glanced at Cortana, gesturing for her to follow. “Come on.”

She stood there for a moment, as the Doctor excitedly took charge, running into the corridors.

****

“I’m starting to get more than a bit worried.” Susan bit her fingernails, looking at the screen.

“What’s wrong?” Will leaned in.

“The TARDIS’s scans aren’t picking anything up, from either of them.” Susan took a shaky breath. “The Master’s blocking the sensors.” She glanced at Will. “Did you get El to look for her?”

Will sighed. “Tried. She’s not picking anything up… Like she’s hitting a brick wall.”

Susan let out a frustrated breath, leaning against the console. “Three hours of scanning. Nothing… I just hope that they’re doing alright.”

****

Two hours of walking through the corridors of the Master’s TARDIS left the Doctor frustrated, and Cortana deeply unsettled.

The corridors twisted and turned in unnatural ways, paths should’ve lead back in on themselves led to different sections of the ship, the ambient humming felt like a jackhammer driving into her skull, and the mere act of looking at the metal of the ship strained her eyes, like there was something beyond the outer surface that couldn’t be precepted.

“Where are we going?” Cortana asked.

“God only knows.” The Doctor replied, turning another corner. “I’ve never been this far deep into a hostile TARDIS before. How exciting.”

“Great, so when we die from all the hostile defenses, at least we won’t be bored.” Cortana sarcastically muttered.

“That’s the spirit!” The Doctor grinned. “Oh, hello.” He came to a stop, in front of a door that looked significantly different to all the other doors they’d passed so far. “What’s in here, I wonder…” The Doctor murmured, slowly stepping forward.

“Is that a good idea?” Cortana tried to tell him.

“Yes. Maybe. Probably not.” The Doctor replied. “Still, let’s take a look-see.” He pushed the metal doors opened, and froze, walking slowly inside like his body was on autopilot. “No…” He breathed, looking at the fragments of bronze and gold metal dotted about. “[Oh, no...](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KR9MOS5r-RY)”

“I was wondering how long it’d take you to find this place.” The Master suddenly appeared at the threshold of the door, the aperture sealing behind him.

“Are you insane!?” The Doctor bellowed instantly.

“Certifiably.” The Master replied.

“You know as well as I do there’s no controlling that kind of destructive power!” The Doctor roared.

“Hm… False, I’ll go false.” The Master retorted

“This isn’t a game!”

“Doctor, what is it?” Cortana asked, unsettled by the Doctor’s rage.

“Allow me,” The Master stated. “You see, these,” He gestured to the metal fragments, and the scattered bits of technology, some looking like old plungers, others like egg-whisks. “Are all the technological components to build a certain sort of casing. But, I needed something to… pilot it, as it were.”

“We’d rather die!” The Doctor spoke up for himself and Cortana.

“Oh, did you think I meant you?” The Master laughed. “That’d be funny… If it wasn’t so far off the mark. No, I needed someone who was already hateful… Found the perfect candidate in old Mister Hargrove.”

“Hargrove!?” Cortana repeated. “Neil Hargrove!?”

“That’s the one!” The Master beamed. “Mister Hargrove, if you’ll come out, please!” He shot into a darkened corner of the room.

“You…” The thing that, at one point, used to be Neil Hargrove stated weakly.

“No…” The Doctor breathed in fear, pushing Cortana behind him. “This is sick.” He shot to the Master. “Even for you.”

The Master shrugged, grinning. “What can I say? I’ve leveled up my game since then. Oh... I would cover my ears, if I were you.”

“YOU ARE THE DOCTOR!” The thing that used to be Hargrove emerged from the shadows, screaming, lights on the top of a bronze dome flashing. “YOU ARE AN EN-EM-EY OF THE DALEKS! YOU WILL BE EXTERMINATED! EXTERMINATE!

EXTERMINATE!

EX-TER-MIN-ATE!”


	41. Master of the Daleks, Part Three

“Hold it,” The Master held out a hand in front of the Dalek, as it inched closer to the Doctor and Cortana.

“THE DOCTOR IS THE ENEMY!” The Dalek retorted. “HE MUST BE DESTROYED!”

“I have a different mission for you.” The Master replied. “Search your databanks, for this woman and the Doctor’s known associates.”

“SCANNING.” The Dalek reported. “SEARCH COMPLETE.”

“Now… Track them down.” The Master ordered. “Exterminate every one of them.”

“BUT THE DOCTOR IS A THREAT!” The Dalek stated.

“The Doctor is required.” The Master replied, hands clasped behind his back. “Those people are the only ones capable of rescuing him. Kill them all.”

“I…” The Dalek began, sounding rather like it was talking through gritted teeth for a creature that could only yell. “I OBEY!” It proclaimed, wheeling out of the room, towards its targets.

“Where’s it going!?” Cortana demanded.

“Quiet.” The Master ordered, snapping his fingers, as two forcefields appeared around the two.

“This is sick.” The Doctor growled. “Engineering Daleks from humans… I thought even you weren’t capable of something so monstrous. How many?” He demanded.

“Just the one.” The Master replied. “See, all I really wanted was you... and her. But I have to make sure your… friends, heh, are otherwise occupied.”

The Doctor felt a chill run down his spine. “Need us for what?”

The Master turned away, looking at a broken bit of Dalek casing. “Do you remember when we ran into each other in that school?” He inquired. “I said the Time Lords had come back…”

The Doctor barred his teeth. “And then you killed them all again.”

“I did… but then, I got to thinking… Doctor, you’d say you were my friend, right?”

“Always.” The Doctor replied, unhesitant for even a single second.

“And our little dances of cat and mouse have been some of the best fun I’ve ever had…” The Master reflected fondly upon his old feud with the Doctor. “But… It’s gotten a bit tiring, don’t you think? These constant back-and-forths, one of us killing the other.”

“Genocide is a bit more than just a back and forth.” The Doctor replied, quietly.

“It is…” The Master said. “But, let’s be honest with ourselves here, the Time Lords were never particularly too great. The lot of them were pompous, stuffy windbags, with poles so far up their backsides they’d need surgery to be removed… And they nearly destroyed the universe, do you recall?”

“…Of course I remember.” The Doctor quietly replied.

_A barn stood on the far horizon, Gallifrey’s sky tinted blue as fallout from the War polluted the atmosphere._

_The Doctor walked, ancient bones creaking and popping as he hefted a weapon even his people feared on his back. It felt like eons since he’d just… sat down. But it was almost over._

_He’d see this war end._

_No more… No more._

“But then, you saved them!” The Master raised an angry finger. “He, she-!” The Master shook with impotent fury. “After all they had done! Billions of the most corrupt people to ever exist in all of creation, and _she_ pulled them out of the fire! They called it the Day of the Doctor… I called it the universe’s death knell.”

“Why do you care!?” The Doctor furiously bellowed.

“The Time Lords tormented me for my entire life!” The Master retorted. “Do you really they’d just snap back to how they were before because the War was over!? I knew it, the you who saved them knew it, but they just didn’t want to feel bad anymore! But… You can rest easy. Because this time… It wasn’t you who pulled the trigger.”

“…Why?” The Doctor questioned. “Why tell me this now? And why bring her into it?” He gestured to Cortana.

“Because…” The Master gritted his teeth, like the words about to come out of his mouth were a fight. “You were right. There was a version of you who showed me that change was possible… And if it’s possible for me, it’s possible for them too.”

The Doctor drew a shocked breath. “You’re not saying…”

“Help me, Doctor.” The Master requested. “The Time Lords are all gone now, and it is my fault… But with your help, we can rebuild them, mold the new Time Lords into the caretakers the universe deserves… You’ve been gone for too long. It’s time to come back home.”

The Doctor stood there, staring at the Master. “…You still haven’t answered my other question. What does Cortana have to do with this?”

“…River Song.” The Master replied, the Doctor quickly understanding what he was getting at. “Who should’ve been a normal human, turned proto-Time Lord by exposure to the time vortex in utero. Congratulations, Misses Halsey,” The Master turned to Cortana, “Your child will be the first of an entirely new species.”

****

Susan let out a frustrated sigh at the lifeform scan. For the eighth time, it swept the area, set to detect anything alien.

Suddenly, the results returned positive, and Susan’s head shot up. She sighed, as the scan returned negative for anything Time Lord, but once she got a good look at the screen, her hearts stopped.

‘Life-Form Detected: fundamental DNA type 467-989. DALEK.’

Susan quickly punched in a few commands and highlighted the section of the map showing the Dalek.

It was heading their way, and moving quickly.

“Get your friends in here!” Susan commanded Will.

“But they don’t know about-“

“NOW!”

****

John paced back and forth in the kitchen of the Byers household, waiting for Will and Susan to come back.

“Don’t worry, dad…” El tried to comfort him, but she herself was just as worried. “I’m sure they’re coming up with something.”

“Just who is this guy anyway?” Lucas mumbled.

“I know,” Mike agreed, arms crossed. “First he kidnaps Will, now he’s dating the guy’s daughter, and the guy’s living out in Will’s shed? Creepy as hell, if you ask me.”

“I think it’s cool.” Max spoke up. “The guy’s willing to do whatever for his kid’s happiness.”

“…I just wish they’d hurry up.” Mike stated. “Feels weird sitting in here just by ourselves.”

“Where is Joyce?” Lucas wondered.

“With Hopper, I think.” Mike answered. “Didn’t ask for much beyond that.”

“Guys…?” Dustin suddenly spoke up, looking out the window. “Do you see that?”

“See what?” Mike moved over, looking out. Something was flying high in the air, slowly coming down to the ground. The silhouette of the thing was rather like a pepper shaker, with angular body panels and a domed head.

“Guys!” Will came running in through the back door. “You have to get out back, now!”

“But-“ Dustin tried to speak.

“BY ORDER OF THE DALEKS, YOU WILL SURRENDER!” The Dalek outside commanded.

El, who had seen those things before, if only on the TV, inhaled in fear.

“Go!” Will commanded. “Move, move!”

“Will, what’s-“ John began.

“I’ll explain when we’re safe, now get in the shed!” Will bellowed, pushing his friends out through the door in the kitchen.

Will had been the last one out, just barely making it outside, before the Dalek out front screeched something.

“ALLOCATED SURRENDER PERIOD EXPIRED. CONSEQUENCE: EXTERMINATION.” The Dalek proclaimed. “EXTERMINATE!” Was all the warning it gave, before it fired a shot, and Will’s house went up in flames.

“Holy shit!” Mike yelled.

“The shed, move, move!” Will bellowed, pulling the old wooden door open.

El and John, recognizing the TARDIS, took in a breath, as Will pushed the blue double-doors open.

“In, in!” Will commanded, as the Dalek began to approach from around the side of the house.

“What good’s a wooden box going to do!?” Max demanded.

“Just shut up and get in!” Will yelled, as the Dalek emerged from the flames.

The group took one look at the Dalek, and the destruction it had caused single-handedly, before running into the TARDIS, doors slamming behind them.

“Take off, anywhere but here!” Will turned to the console, Susan springing into action in response, launching the TARDIS.

The ship shook, but stabilized, and Susan let out a relieved breath. “Thank God. I thought we were doomed.”

Max, Lucas, Mike, and Dustin looked around the inside of the TARDIS in shock and awe. It wasn’t long, however, before one of them found their words again.

“What… the hell… was that!?” Dustin yelled. “What the hell is this place!? Who the hell are you!?”

“That was-“ Susan began.

“A Dalek.” El finished, taking a slow step forward. “It’s you… isn’t it?”

“Well… I don’t suppose there’s any reason to hide it now.” Susan considered, removing her perception filter. “Hello again.”

The four, who were not accustomed to seeing Susan’s real face, gasped in unison.

“El…” Mike spoke up, eyes wide. “Who is this?”

“I’m Susan.” Susan answered for herself. “Welcome aboard the TARDIS… My home.”

“It’s…” Lucas spluttered, looking around. “Bigger on the inside.”

Susan nodded, “It is.”

Dustin looked around, at the unfamiliar technology and text dotting the room. “It’s alien.”

“It is.” Susan repeated.

Max looked at Susan, looking her up and down. “…Are you an alien?”

Susan paused for a moment, before nodding. “I am.”

“Will went missing…” El’s eyebrows knit together, frowning. “Did you abduct him?” She demanded, looking angry.

“Not intentionally.” Susan replied, looking at her double. “It was an accident, I swear. We found him in New York, and were trying to get him home, asap.” She glanced at the others. “See, Will was telling the truth when he said he was traveling… He just neglected to mention it was all of time and space.”

“Good God…” Mike breathed. “You’re an alien… a space alien… Get away!” He snarled, pulling El back.

“Mike, what are you-“ Will began.

“She’s one of them, Will!” Mike pointed. “She could flay our minds at any second, make us her puppets! This is the Primordial, all over again!”

Susan, to her credit, didn’t look offended. Only severely annoyed, as she walked over to Mike. “Okay, time to sleep.” She said, touching his temple. Instantly, Mike clocked out, having to be caught by El.

“What’d you do!?” El demanded.

“Put him to sleep, he was being annoying.” Susan retorted. Suddenly, she scowled. “And it’s not polite to prod at your host with mind powers!” She stated, brushing away an invisible arm.

El looked like she was about ready to murder.

“That thing outside.” John stepped forward, trying to put himself in between the two ‘twins.’ “What was it?”

Susan looked at him. “One of the most perverted, sickening, evil killing machines ever to exist. A Dalek.”

The members of the Party glanced at each other.

“How did it get here?” Dustin asked.

Susan suddenly frowned. “You know what, that’s a good question.” She turned to the TARDIS console. “That Dalek shouldn’t exist… Unless-“

“The Master has something to do with it.” Will finished.

“Who?” Max questioned.

“An evil alien who used to be the principal at our school until Susan and I dealt with him.” Will explained. “And the one who’s responsible for kidnapping Cortana, and the Doctor.”

“Doctor?” Lucas repeated.

“My father.” Susan stated, punching in commands into the scanner. “Aha!”

“What is it?” Will looked over.

“The Daleks power themselves casing by drawing energy from the time vortex,” Susan explained, “Harmless to living tissue, but it sticks out like a nuke going off in space!”

“We can trace it!” Will snapped his fingers.

“Right back to the source!” Susan agreed. “Right, everyone, hold on!” She advised, before throwing the lever, sending the TARDIS careening towards its destination.


	42. Master of the Daleks, Part Four

The Doctor stood at Cortana’s side, the woman laying down strapped to a medical bed, as machines bleeped and blooped, showing a scan of the embryo growing inside her.

“We’ll start by accelerating the growth of the embryo.” The Master explained, standing with his hands clasped behind his back, letting the Doctor work. “As the growth proceeds, we’ll expose you to small doses of the Time Vortex.”

Cortana pulled at one of her restraints.

“Don’t try to struggle. You’ll just hurt yourself.” The Doctor advised, examining the equipment. “I’ll need you to open your TARDIS’s engines.” The Doctor informed the Master.

The Master bowed slightly, and turned, heading off to do just that.

“Why?” Cortana sked, looking up at the Doctor. “Why are you doing this?”

The Doctor glanced at the retreating form of the other Time Lord. “I need him to think I’m on his side.” The Doctor whispered. “You and your baby will get out of here just fine, you have my word. I have a plan, but I need you to cooperate.”

Cortana looked into the Doctor’s eyes, glowering. The Time Lord was unreadable, as always, but there was a hint of pleading, as well as deep-seated regret at what he was doing.

She didn’t have to like it, but if they were going to get out of there, she needed to go with the Doctor’s plan.

Reluctantly, the woman sighed, and nodded in agreement. “Alright.”

“Thanks.” The Doctor offered. “The Master thinks I’ve finally gone over to the dark side, so to speak. I can feel it coming off him. I don’t think he’ll be expecting anything otherwise.”

“So…” Cortana gulped. “What’s your plan?”

“We go along with the Master’s plan.” The Doctor answered. “To a point. Just try to keep calm.”

“Just…” Cortana stuttered. “Answer me this: is my baby going to be okay?”

“I already said-“

“Tell me, explicitly.” Cortana demanded.

The Doctor glanced at her, saying nothing.

****

The TARDIS settled with a thud, as Susan looked at the console scanner. “I’ve put us as close as I can. There’s another TARDIS out there, if we materialize any closer, we could cause a time ram.” She glanced over to the side, where El and John stood. The SPARTAN was clad in his green armor, the TARDIS having stopped off to retrieve it, and El looked ready for a fight. “You ready?”

John and El looked at each other and nodded.

“Right,” Susan turned away from the scanner, grabbing her sonic screwdriver from the plug on the console, tucking it into the pocket of her jeans. “There’s no telling what we’ll find out there, so be careful.”

“Wait,” Mike stepped forward to stop them, “What about that Dalek thing?”

“We’ll deal with it after we rescue Cortana and the Doctor.” Susan declared. “The three of us will look for them, the rest of you will stay in here.”

“But it blew up Will’s house!” Dustin replied.

“Yeah,” Max concurred, “What’s a little blue box going to do?”

“Susan’s right.” Will spoke up, looking at the rest of them. “Right now, the TARDIS is the safest place in the universe. She won’t let anything happen to us.”

“She,” Lucas pointed, “is leaving us in here to go deal with a crazy alien.”

“I was talking about the TARDIS.” Will stated. He looked up at the ceiling. “Isn’t that right?”

The lights overhead pulsed happily, as the others except for Susan looked at Will like he was mad.

“Alright, well,” Susan clapped her hands, pulling the door open. “Let’s go rescue them.” John and El followed them out, the doors slamming shut behind them.

“Hold on!” Mike called, running over to the door. He pulled it open, but the door yanked itself free of his grip, slamming shut again. Mike repeated the action, the door slamming shut again, before locking.

Mike tried to tug on the locked door, the pieces of faux wood refusing to budge. The group of teenagers turned to Will for an explanation, looking slightly frightened.

Will was the picture of calm, as he shrugged. “I told you. The TARDIS won’t let anything happen to us.”

Mike let out a frustrated sigh, as he banged on the door, and flopped down. It was all they could do now to wait.

****

The trio walked through the darkened woods, far on the other side of Hawkins, Susan listening to the frequency of her sonic screwdriver’s buzzing, using the device to track the remaining Artron energy back to its source.

The buzzing became so high-pitched, it was almost inaudible, as Susan walked around a tree, keeping the screwdriver trained on it.

“Here it is. The Master’s TARDIS.” Susan stated, putting the screwdriver away, as she felt around for something to open the time capsule. Pressing her hand against the broken stub of a branch, a seam suddenly split up the middle of the trunk, and the two sides slid open. “Keyed to respond to Gallifreyan DNA.” Susan explained, turning to the other two. “Looks like he didn’t count on me. Ready?”

John nodded first, and fire sprung up in El’s eyes, as Susan took the lead into the living timeship, which radiated out malcontent and malice.

Unbeknownst to them, however, something even more sinister was quite close.

****

The Dalek came to the ground, having tracked the Doctor’s TARDIS from its departure at the now-destroyed Byers house.

It glided over the uneven terrain, the rocks and fallen branches proving to be no hinderance to it, as the Dalek came to a stop in front of the blue box.

“EXTERMINATE!” The Dalek screeched, firing upon the ship. An aqua beam of energy lanced out from its gunstick, directly for the doors.

The beam of energy abruptly stopped before tearing into the doors, blocked by an invisible barrier.

“TRIBOPHYSICAL WAVEFORM MACRO-KINETIC EXTRAPOLATOR SHIELDING DETECTED!” The Dalek’s eyestalk moved up and down, as it looked for any weakness in the forcefield it could exploit.

Could it glare, the Dalek would surely be doing so.

The Dalek abruptly stopped looking the TARDIS up and down, as it turned towards the Master’s TARDIS.

“PRIORITY TARGETS DETECTED.” The Dalek proclaimed, before moving in the direction of the other TARDIS.

****

The five inside the Doctor’s TARDIS looked on at the console scanner, going cold.

“It’s going to kill them!” Mike breathed in horror, running back over to the door. “Let me out!” He demanded of the TARDIS, tugging on the doors. “Let me out!”

“Mike, calm down.” Will tried to tell him, placing a hand on Mike’s shoulder.

“No!” Mike bellowed. “I’m not going to let El die!”

“Mike!” Will pulled him around to look at his face. “I don’t know much about the Daleks, but the way Susan describes them… There’s _nothing_ we can do. It’ll slaughter every one of us in a nanosecond without a second thought.”

“There…” Mike looked at the door despondently. “There has to be something.”

“Maybe…” Will frowned, biting the inside of his cheek. _‘Heads up, you’ve got a Dalek heading your way.’_ He shot to Susan, before walking over to the console screen.

“What are you doing?” Max asked.

“The Doctor’s a bit scatterbrained, he has to write things down to remember them.” Will explained, as he searched through the TARDIS databanks.

“So, what are you looking for?” Dustin correctly asked.

“A phone number.” Will answered. “Susan’s mom’s, actually.” The TARDIS, upon hearing what Will was searching for, brought the data up herself, flashing it across the screen in big numbers.

“Thanks.” Will said to the TARDIS, punching the number into the keypad next to the phone on the console. Holding the phone up to his ear, it rung, being picked up a second later. “Um, yeah, is this Shepard? I need help.”

The other four watched as Will awkwardly stammered. “Yeah. With a Dalek.”

The phone abruptly hung up, and Will looked down at it in confusion, as another TARDIS began to materialize.


	43. Master of the Daleks, Part Five

“What…” El shivered, pulling her arms around herself, as they walked deeper into the depths of the Master’s TARDIS. “What’s wrong with this place?”

Susan glanced in her direction. “What makes you think something’s wrong?”

“It feels… wrong.” El insisted. “Evil.”

“Good eye,” Susan complimented. “TARDISes usually reflect their pilots’ personalities. Don’t worry, we’ll get out of here asap.”

“Where is the Master?” John asked, keeping his assault rifle at the ready.

“Don’t know.” Susan admitted. “I’m just following the DNA traces of the Doctor.”

“How much farther?” El inquired.

“Don’t know.” Susan repeated.

“How-“ John began.

Susan whipped back around. “Look, you two are worried, I get it. I’m worried too. But right now, we need to focus.” Her eyes focused on a shadow cast on the far wall behind them, and she drew in a terrified breath. “Run.”

“What?” El asked, as Susan abruptly turned.

“Run!” Susan commanded, pulling the identical girl behind her, as she fled down a corridor. “Master Chief, move!” She ordered, as John stood his ground.

The Dalek began to turn the corner, eyestalk locking on the SPARTAN in the far distance.

“I can fight it.” John stated.

“I’m older than the country you’re living in,” Susan pulled at the SPARTAN. “Trust me when I say; there is no way in hell you can fight that Dalek!”

“EXTERMINATE!” The Dalek declared, firing in their direction.

The beam struck John first, and the SPARTAN was thrown to the floor.

“Dad!” El screamed, throwing out an arm to push the Dalek away.

“I’m fine,” John grunted, getting to his feet. His eyes focused on the shield bar at the top of his HUD, which wasn’t moving back up.

The Dalek’s shot hadn’t just drained his shields, it completely fried them.

“See what I mean!? Now, _run!”_ Susan bellowed, taking the lead down the corridor as the Dalek began to pursue.

If it caught up to them…

They were dead meat.

****

“How goes it, Doctor?” The Master questioned, moving to the side of his fellow Time Lord.

The Doctor spared the Master only a cold glance. “It’s going.” Was all he replied with, before focusing back on the medical equipment. Cortana lay on the bed, staring up at the ceiling, looking absolutely sick to herself.

The Doctor didn’t blame her. This was starting to scare him too. He had a plan, sure, but if he let her in on the particulars…

She’d never cooperate.

“Going how?” The Master pushed past the Doctor, to look at the equipment.

“The baby’s growth is now that of a normal fetus at the end of its development.” The Doctor explained clinically, trying to distance himself from what was going to have to happen.

“Very good… I wasn’t sure accelerating growth like that would be possible.” The Master stated, turning to the Doctor. “But you pulled it off.”

 _‘Well, it’s not like I had a choice…’_ The Doctor bitterly thought to himself.

“Though, there is one part of this that does capture my attention.” The Master frowned, pointing at the scan. “This reads full human. I expected human plus Time Lord.”

“Well,” The Doctor sniffed, quickly trying to lie his way into the position he needed to be, “When Amy was pregnant with Melody, she didn’t read human plus Time Lord either. Our scanners are good, but they’re not that good. The only way to be able to tell for sure is to induce labor,” At that, Cortana’s head shot up, the woman looking green.

The Master’s eyes narrowed, looking at the Doctor. “…Did you even expose her to the vortex energy like I instructed?”

“Well, er, possibly, no.” The Doctor stammered theatrically, preparing himself. He couldn’t get himself where he had to be with words, so he was going to have to rely upon something else.

The Master’s deposition quickly turned angry. “Do you think I’m stupid?”

The Doctor coughed. “No comment.”

The Master’s scowl deepened, as he reached into his suit pocket, pulling out the TCE. “Now…” The Master began, leveling the weapon at the Doctor, “Here’s what’s going to happen. You are going to reverse the growth, and do as I instructed, and if you don’t.” He turned the weapon towards Cortana. “Both of them die.”

The Doctor glanced between them. “…I see. You know what I miss?”

The Master’s eyebrows furrowed, as he looked at the Doctor.

“I miss our little spats back on Earth in the seventies.” The Doctor admitted to the Master. “I always took those very seriously, but do you know what? It was good fun. Just two old guys duking it out with their wits like it was a game in a schoolyard.”

“Doctor, if there is no purpose to your prattling-“

“Oh, there is.” The Doctor assured. “See, because back then, I was a much different sort of man, I think you’ll agree. I had a sonic screwdriver, yes, but I didn’t rely upon it for everything. And while I technically also possessed the TARDIS, she was earthbound. I could get out of most scrapes with my wits alone, sure, but occasionally, there were problems I couldn’t solve with brains alone.”

The Master’s fists began to shake with fury. “Doctor-“

“But fortunately, as it happens, I happened to have a very useful skill.” The Doctor grinned. “A blackbelt in Venusian Aikido. Which, also as it happens, is a skill that I’ve kept up over the years.”

Suddenly, the Doctor, moving faster than lightning, launched into the old martial art that was the favorite of his third incarnation. The Time Lord’s hand shot out, striking the other Time Lord in the shoulder

Venusian Aikido, much like Earth Aikido, didn’t have many offensive moves. But, the Doctor was well versed in the pressure points of many different species, and as it happens, Gallifreyans had a very sensitive nerve cluster in the left shoulder, near the neck. One strike from the Doctor was enough to disorient the Master, the Doctor pulling the weapon out of the Master’s hand in the brief moment of confusion. Another blow was enough to send the Master to the floor.

The Doctor threw the TCE to the ground with all his might, the weapon shattering into a thousand pieces, before he turned back to Cortana, and sprinted over.

“What the hell was that!?” Cortana looked on in shock, the event having took place in a second.

“Aikido.” The Doctor answered, beginning to unstrap her from the bed, and the machines that were active. “Developed by the warrior monks of Venus. You really need five arms to become a true master at it, but I managed.”

“Great,” Cortana stood up, shifting uncertainly at the new weight attached to her. “So, how do we-“ She suddenly doubled over in pain, clutching her stomach. “Ow!” She cried out. “Doctor, what was that!?”

The Doctor paled, taking a step back. “…Looks like I won’t need to induce labor after all.” He glanced at the Master. “Back on the bed!” He ordered, running to the end, as the Master fought with his own body to get up.

“What’s- ow-“ Cortana grunted, as she climbed back on. “What’s happening!?”

“The baby’s on its way, and it doesn’t care if we’re otherwise busy!” The Doctor answered, sending all the energy he could spare to his injured leg, breaking into a mad dash as he pushed the hospital bed out, intent on putting as much distance between them and the Master as possible.

****

A slightly short, blonde woman in a blue shirt with a rainbow running across the chest poked her head around the corner of a hallway in the Master’s TARDIS, eyes darting about.

She turned to the group behind her, every one of them carrying Dalek gunsticks, and gestured for them to follow her, as she carried her own gunstick.

“Sorry, but,” Max whispered loudly. “Who exactly are you!?”

“Shepard.” The Time Lady answered. “Susan’s mum. Well, grandmum until just a few weeks ago. Long story.” She reached into the pocket of her coat, and pulled out a small, cobbled-together device with a spinning dish attached to a spring on the top.

“Dude…” Dustin leaned close to Will. “Is all of your girlfriend’s family crazy?”

“Girlfriend!” Shepard beamed, turning around to spare a glance at Will. “That’s good to hear! ‘S about time Susan found someone…” She turned back to examine the device. “I fully expect to be invited to the wedding.”

Will blushed. “Just focus on finding her first.”

“Right.” Shepard replied. “See, the Daleks she and I are mainly used to are actually rather pleasant folk. Great fun at parties. But, there are the Daleks the Doctor mainly deal with, the ones who won’t hesitate to kill every living thing on sight. God only knows what she was thinking chasing after one without backup.”

“She has El.” Mike insisted.

Shepard glanced at Mike, and laughed. “S-Sorry, for a second there, I thought you were serious!”

Mike scowled.

“Oh, you _were_ serious.” Shepard balked. “Well, Mikey-poo, allow me to put it in terms you can understand. The Daleks are the perfect killing machines,” She explained, taking charge down a corridor. “Every part of them, even the parts that look harmless like that little sucker-arm, is designed to kill. And, they’re fortified against everything.”

“But, not mind powers!” Mike retorted.

Shepard shot the Wheeler boy a tired glanced and held out her arm. Mike staggered, as the weapon in his hands was suddenly yanked out of them, going flying into Shepard’s hand.

“Time Lords have telekinesis.” Shepard stated, approaching Mike. “Not all of us, but some do. And Daleks are practically tailor-made to kill Time Lords. Your girlfriend won’t stand a chance if you don’t stop complaining and allow me to do my job.” Shepard stated, practically shoving the weapon back into Mike’s hands.

“Sorry.” Mike apologized. “…Why does everyone pick on me?”

Shepard frowned, tilting her head, as if giving it honest consideration. Because she was. “I don’t know. I normally don’t get like that. Sorry.” She turned back around, leading the teenagers down the corridor. “Probably your face.”

“Oh, thanks.”


	44. Master of the Daleks, Part Six

“YOU WILL BE EXTERMINATED!” The Dalek screeched at the trio, as it pursued them. “SURRENDER IS COMPULSORY!”

“Well, with logic like that.” Susan grumbled, as they turned a corner. They’d been running nonstop for the past hour, the Dalek always on their heels, despite its slow movement in comparison to them.

“S-Stop…” El requested, heaving as she leaned against the wall. “Can’t… breathe…”

“We have to keep moving.” Susan stated, turning.

“…rest…” El repeated, as she took in more air.

John turned to Susan. “That Dalek must have a weak point. Something we can hit to slow it down.”

Susan gritted her teeth, rubbing her forehead, as she looked in the direction of the approaching Dalek. “The Dalek has a forcefield surrounding it, but it’s not completely impenetrable.” She turned back to John. “It’s weak around the eyestalk. One well-placed shot there should blind it long enough for us to put some distance between it and us. But you have to be _fast._ The moment the Dalek catches sight of us, it’s going to be open season.”

“One shot is all I need.” John stated, putting the two girls behind him, as he leveled his assault rifle. “Get ready to run.”

They all gulped, even John, who was vulnerable without his shields.

The Dalek turned the corner, and its optic locked on them, as it stopped.

“EXTERMINATE!” It called.

Before the Dalek could raise its gunstick, however, John squeezed the trigger, and a flurry of bullets shot out. Across the way, John could see as the Dalek’s eyestalk suddenly sparked, the blue light of the optic fizzling out.

“MY VISION IS IM-PAIRED, I CANNOT SEE!” The Dalek screeched in alarm, beginning to spin around wildly like it was flailing. A shot lanced out from its weapon, hitting the wall.

“Nice shot!” Susan complimented. “Now, run!”

“MY VISION IS IMPAIRED, I CANNOT SEE!” The Dalek repeated, as the others began to flee. “MY VISION IS IMPAIRED, I CANNOT SEE!”

A shot from the Dalek flew threw the air, bouncing off the walls of the Master’s TARDIS, and went careening down in the corridor.

Susan glanced down the corridor and pushed John and El along. “Something tells me that’s going to come back to bite us in the arse later.”

****

“MY VISION IS IMPAIRED, I CANNOT SEE!” Shepard’s head tilted, allowing her to better hear down one corridor, as the Dalek’s voice echoed towards their group.

“This way!” Shepard pointed down the corridor. “Weapons at the ready, kids, get ready for the fight of your lives!” She warned, sprinting head-on towards the Dalek. “Dalek!” She addressed.

The Dalek’s mad spinning stopped, as it turned to look at Shepard. Its darkened eyestalk sparked and spluttered, before it suddenly stitched itself back together, eyestalk switching back on.

“MY VISION IS NOT IMPAIRED.” The Dalek proclaimed. “YOU WILL BE-“

“Exterminated, yes, yes, I know.” Shepard mocked. “But, before dying, I want you to take a good look at the kids surrounding you.” She snapped her fingers, pointing to each teenager, standing around the Dalek in a circle. “More specifically, the guns they’re carrying.”

“SCANNING…” The Dalek announced. “Z-NEUTRINO ENERGY MATRICES DETECTED. WEAPONS OF DALEK ORIGIN!?”

“That’s right.” Shepard confirmed. “You might be able to fire off a shot at one of one of us, but you’ll never be able to kill all of us before the rest take you down.”

“YOU ARE A KNOWN ASSOCIATE OF THE DOCTOR.” The Dalek relayed. “YOU WILL NOT FIRE.”

“Really?” Shepard raised a sarcastic eyebrow. “I’m Commander Shepard, Captain of the Normandy.” Shepard raised her gun. “Check your records again.”

“…ENGAGING EMERGENCY TEMPORAL SHIFT!” The Dalek declared, light crackling around the exterior of its casing. A blinding light built up around the Dalek, forcing all surrounding it to cover their eyes.

When the light died down, and vision returned to the group, the Dalek was gone, vanished.

“Well,” Shepard turned to the others with a happy smile. “That’s one less problem to worry about. Now,” She raised the weapon, “Let’s go get the Master.”

****

“Ow!” Cortana screeched, “Ow! Ow! Doctor, stop!” She begged.

The Doctor looked down, and obliged, wheeling her into an open intersection of the corridor. “What is it, what’s wrong!?” He paled, looking her over.

“I… I can’t…”

“Uh… Alright, alright,” The Doctor hyperventilated, looking around. “It’s fine! I’m a doctor!” The Doctor ran to the end of the bed. “I’ve delivered a Weevil in the middle of an active volcano, it can’t be harder than that. Alright,” The Doctor took a deep breath. “Spread your legs, far as you can…” He swallowed. “Let’s deliver this baby. Ready?”

Cortana looked pale. “I wish John was here.”

The Doctor huffed. “So do I. Now, take a deep breath, and push.”

“I am so not ready for this.” Cortana gulped.

“Neither am I. Let’s do it together.” The Doctor tried to make light. “Now, push!”

Cortana screamed.

****

El stopped, freezing, as she heard the scream in the distance. “Mom!?” She turned towards the corridor from where the sound came, and without thinking, sprinted down it.

John and Susan glanced at each other for a moment.

“Go after her!” Susan directed. “The Master’s down that way!” She pointed down a different corridor. “I’ll deal with him, go!”

The SPARTAN gave a short nod, and ran after El, as Susan tracked down the Master.

****

“You’re doing great!” The Doctor spurred Cortana. “Just hold on!”

Cortana grunted painfully. “It hurts…”

“I know.” The Doctor responded gently, trying to keep her as comfortable as he could. “Hey, you want to hear a funny story?”

“Hm?” Cortana tried to focus, as she kept pushing.

“I had a friend, back in the Prydonian Academy.” The Doctor began. “Koschei, her name was. Well, she had been a he, but there was an accident with an air pistol, and he regenerated into a woman.”

“Koschei…” Cortana repeated, trying to follow along with the Doctor, trying not to focus on the pain. “A woman… Was she pretty?”

“Oh, she was beautiful.” The Doctor reflected with a smile. “She had the most beautiful mop of ginger hair I’d ever seen, green eyes that sparkled like the emerald grass of Midnight, skin that looked like it was polished porcelain. She was like a tiger, tearing into everyone that crossed her, but so gentle to those she cared about… And she was my best friend.”

“What… What happened to her?” Cortana asked.

“We got married.” The Doctor answered with a slight chuckle.

“Married.” Cortana repeated. “Had some kids?”

“Oh, lots.” The Doctor answered. “Which is a nice lead-in. For Kos’s birthday, our first born, Nyarla, she decides to get her mother a whole wardrobe’s worth of new robes. Don’t ask how a seven-year-old managed to do that, but it might or might not have something to do with me.” The Doctor winked. “Anyway, she doesn’t have any place to put them, so, you know what she does?”

“What?” Cortana asked, still pushing back the pain.

“She goes into her mother’s closet, clears out all the robes Kos has had saved for the really formal functions, throws them out, and shoves all the new ones in there!” The Doctor laughed, the event still funny to him so many years after the occurrence. “Kos is livid with me, absolutely livid when she sees it, and thinks I’m the one responsible, but then Nyarla comes in and goes; ‘Hey, mum, I cleaned out your closet of all those stuffy old clothes you never wear, and got you some new ones that don’t stink so you can wear those!’” The Doctor absolutely cracked up, clapping his hands. “And Kos, the look on her face… And she just goes; ‘That’s… great honey. Thank you so much.’ Oh…” The Doctor sighed, smiling. “I got whipped something fierce for that, but do you know what?”

“What?” Cortana inquired.

“Kos left all those expensive robes that Nyarla threw out to rot in the mud, and from that day forward, only wore the ones that Nyarla got her, even to the really important formal gigs.” The Doctor smiled fondly.

Cortana, despite the pain, smiled as well. “What happened to them?”

“Oh, you know… time.” The Doctor answered a bit evasively. “Koschei regenerated again some time after that, and he and I just… drifted apart. He got locked up in Shada for… something horrible. Nyarla was taken into the academy, and I haven’t seen her since.”

“…I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.” The Doctor replied. “It’s all in my past. Now, let’s focus on-“

The Doctor was cut off, as Cortana suddenly howled in pain, as an aqua bolt of energy, bouncing off the walls, struck her in the stomach.

“Cortana!” The Doctor shouted, looking her over. “Cortana, are you okay!?”

“W-What the hell was that…?” Cortana demanded, grunting in pain.

“Dalek energy blast.” The Doctor answered. “It lost a lot of its potency bouncing around like that, be glad you aren’t dead.”

“What about-“ Cortana grunted. “What about the baby?”

The Doctor swallowed, as the pilfered medical scanner beeped its warning. “…I’m sorry.”

****

“Alright, fam,” Shepard drew a breath, leading the group to the end of the corridor. “This is it… Oh, I like that, ‘fam.’ Should use that more often.” She commented, looking at them. “That’s what you kids say now, right?”

Blank blinking was Shepard’s only response.

“Everyone’s a critic…” Shepard grumbled, turning back to the door. “Alright, on three. One… two…” She raised her leg, preparing to kick the door down.

“Freeze!” Susan screamed, popping out of the corner, holding her sonic screwdriver like a weapon. She suddenly gasped, realizing the people she’d stopped. “Mum!” She cried, running into Shepard’s arms.

“Oh!” Shepard gasped in pleased surprised. “We’re hugging? Good. I like hugging.”

“What are you doing here?” Susan asked, sounding glad to see Shepard nonetheless.

“Oh, you know me, people in distress.” Shepard answered.

“Have you seen dad!?” Susan anxiously pulled away from Shepard, looking around frantically.

“Nope,” Shepard admitted. “But I think the Master might be able to help us on the way.”

“Good, good…” Susan nodded, pointing. “That’s what I was thinking.”

Mike thinned his lips. “And you were going to take him down with a penlight?”

“…It’s sonic.” Susan replied.

Lucas raised an eyebrow. “How?”

“It makes a noise!” Susan shot back. “Wait a second, where’s the Dalek?”

“Gone.” Shepard answered. “We can worry about it later, for now…” She turned back to the door, working out a kink in her neck. “On three. One… Two…”

Shepard raised her leg and kicked.

“YEOW!” Shepard cried, hopping around holding her foot. “Good lord, that smarts!”

“You know, you’re supposed to aim for the area above the lock.” Max pointed out, all turning to look at her. “What? I watch crime shows.”

“It’s a TARDIS, not a plywood shack.” Shepard grumbled. “Guess that’s what I deserve for not carrying around a sonic screwdriver…”

“The door’s deadlocked anyway,” Susan pointed out. “Even a sonic wouldn’t be able to get us through.”

“And I’m good at telekinesis, but not that good. But maybe…” Shepard mumbled, leaning against the door, closing her eyes. “Funny story about Time Lords… We’re not named that because we’re just time travelers. Mastery over time itself is written into our very biology. If I can just find the right timeline…”

The humans of the group all gasped as Shepard suddenly stepped through the door like it wasn’t even there.

“Oh, that is cool…” Dustin remarked with a grin, as the door opened from the other side.

“Hello, hello!” Shepard called out, as she ushered them into the room. “Hope you don’t mind if I make myself at home! Nice place you’ve got here, I love the dark, polished obsidian look.”

The Master stepped out from behind a corner, awe plastered on his features. “It’s you…”

 _‘He thinks I’m his version of the Doctor.’_ Shepard sent into the minds of everyone following her. _‘Just go with it.’_

“Yep.” Shepard replied, striding across the floor to come face-to-face with the Master.

“B-But how!?” The Master indignantly spluttered. “You were imprisoned by the Judoon, maximum security! Even they know how to keep you under lock and key! How did you escape!?”

“You know me.” Shepard shrugged, shoving her hands into her coat pockets. “Never met a prison that could hold me for long. Especially the inescapable ones, those always last the shortest. But, more to the point, I caught wind you were causing havok…” Shepard’s eyes narrowed as she glared at the Master. “What in the name of sanity are you doing?”

The Master opened his mouth to speak.

“You know what,” Shepard cut him off before he could get a word out. “I don’t care. You’ve had your fun, that’s all well and good, but it stops. Now.”

The Master scoffed. “And how are you going to stop me? With a gaggle of teenagers who look too scared to even hold those guns properly? Besides, if I know one thing about the Doctor, it’s that they don’t use guns.”

“Oh, that used to be the case,” Shepard pivoted about, making a show of owning the floor. “But then I got put in prison. It does things to you.”

The Master snorted, crossing his arms. “Don’t make me laugh. If you think you can deceive me into thinking you’d shoot me, you’re sorely mistaken.”

“Well then,” Shepard shrugged. “Guess I’m not the only one.” Was all she offered, before socking the Master clear across the jaw. “Woo!” She shouted, holding up her fist to reveal that her putting her hands into her pockets was more than just a tick, but a way of discreetly grabbing onto a device made of two purple metal rings attached to each other. “Sontaran Stun Knuckles, picked these up on Omega for half a credit, swear by ‘em!”

“Holy shit, you just beat the hell out of him!” Lucas bent over the knocked-out form of the Master.

“What’d you do?” Will asked, looking at Shepard.

“One charge from these little beauties are enough to knock a Krogan Battlemaster on his ass.” Shepard answered, placing the stun knuckles back in her pocket. “He’s fine. He’ll be out cold for the next couple of hours, but long enough for me to get him back to Gallifrey.”

Max’s eyebrows furrowed. “Gallifrey?”

“My homeworld.” Shepard answered, grunting as she hefted the Master over her shoulders. “And right now, the only place capable of punishing the Master for his crimes.”

“But wait, where’s father?” Susan asked, looking around.

“And Cortana?” Lucas asked.

“And El?” Mike inquired.

“Think about it.” Shepard prompted.

“Well, the Master Chief and El broke off to head down a corridor to find Cortana, and since the Doctor isn’t here…” Susan looked like she had an epiphany. “Will, come on!” She ordered, pulling him after her.

“Where’re we going!?” Will asked as he struggled to keep up.

“Isn’t it obvious!?” Susan shot back.

“…Ah, precious love. Isn’t it sweet?” Shepard rhetorically asked, turning to the others. “Come on, you lot.” She ordered. “Back to the proper TARDISes.”

Mike looked down the corridor that Will and El had run down. “But El-“

“Is going to be just fine.” Shepard stated, adjusting the Master’s unconscious form. “We took care of the Dalek, and this pillock isn’t going anywhere. But, he _is_ pressing down right on the nerve cluster in my shoulder, so if you all could just cooperate and do as I say, that’d be great.”

Mike sighed. “Fine, let’s go.”


	45. Master of the Daleks, Part Seven

By the time John and El made it to Cortana and the Doctor… it was all over.

The Doctor stood there in the corner, looking at the two arrivals. He said nothing, but the sorrow in his eyes was enough for them to know exactly what he was thinking.

“…I’m sorry.” The Time Lord quietly whispered, as John took a few shaky steps over to Cortana.

The woman lay there, on the bed, staring blankly with tears running down her eyes, at the unmoving child in her arms.

El took a few steps of her own, towards the bed, looking on in shock.

It wasn’t supposed to happen like this.

She was supposed to be a big sister… And so, she too, began to weep. Even John, the most stoic being on the planet, had faint tears springing up in the corners of his eyes.

“Father!” Susan came running into the junction, freezing in shock. “Oh no…”

Will was right behind her, stiffening. “God, no…”

“Will, let’s…” Susan took Will’s hand. “Let’s head back to the TARDIS… I think things are wrapped up here.”

And during all of that, the Doctor just stared.

****

 _‘It’s our fault.’_ Ten was the first to speak.

 _‘Our fault?’_ Three repeated. _‘You mean the Master’s.’_

 _‘I should’ve known it’d turn out like this.’_ Nine grumbled. _‘Nothin’ good’s ever happened from makin’ friends with humans.’_

 _‘There was that Rose girl, or have you forgotten?’_ Eight asked.

 _‘Ironic, comin’ from you.’_ Nine bit back.

 _‘Koschei…’_ Number One breathed. _‘I did not think him capable of such acts… not after having his own child.’_

 _‘What’s the saying?’_ Two rhetorically asked. _‘Oh, yes, people change. Especially true given regeneration, don’t you know?’_

 _‘Quite right.’_ Five agreed. _‘The Master is capable of far worse, I’ve seen so first hand… So, what’s the plan gentlemen?’_

 _‘Plan?’_ Seven inquired. _‘What makes you certain there’s a plan?’_

 _‘We’re the Doctor. We always have a plan, even when we don’t.’_ Five stated.

 _‘_ Especially _when we don’t.’_ Four’s deep, booming voice corrected.

 _‘Let’s see…’_ Six began. ‘ _There’s a Mire medical kit in one of the storerooms.’_

‘ _And condemn it to eternity as an infant!?’_ One shot back. ‘ _Absolutely not!’_

 _‘And condemn an infant to death?’_ Six retorted. _‘Anyone can see that it is the only reasonable course of action!’_

 _‘You’ve just gotten a big head since that ‘Eleven’ girl proclaimed you were her favorite.’_ Three accused.

 _‘Good taste and this current conversation have nothing to do with each other!’_ Six harrumphed.

 _‘Gentlemen, please.’_ Five tried to play peacemaker. _‘While Six is right, we cannot bring a life back in such a manner. To do so would be callous at best, outright cruel at worst.’_

 _‘I fail to see the problem.’_ Two innocently commented.

 _‘Just think about it.’_ Ten instructed. _‘Spending all eternity as a baby. You can’t grow, you can’t learn. The only reasons to live are forever out of your reach… and nothing can put you out of your misery.’_

 _‘Death is one of the most natural things in the universe.’_ Nine began almost sagely. _‘And we’d be making sure there was a creature out there that couldn’t ever find its release… in some ways, in trying to save it, we’d be sentencing that child to something far worse than death. People always wish for eternal youth… but this would be giving it in the worst way.’_

 _‘Dark.’_ Seven commented. _‘But accurate.’_

 _‘Hmm… How about the TARDIS?’_ Eight suggested. _‘She brought Chang and Grace back after the Master killed them.’_

 _‘That particular mechanism only works if the lifeform was inside at the time of death.’_ One replied. _‘And I’m afraid the Master’s TARDIS would not be so kind as to oblige us.’_

 _‘None of you are addressing the obvious element in the room, so I suppose I will have to.’_ War’s raspy voice spoke up. _‘Instead of looking at the issue from a mechanical one, perhaps we should look at it from a biological one.’_

 _‘…You’re not suggesting…’_ Six responded.

 _‘I am.’_ War confirmed. _‘While the Gallifreyan body is the only thing that can produce regeneration energy, it is not the only thing that can be repaired by it.’_

 _‘…we’d never be able to regenerate again.’_ Four proposed.

 _‘That is already the case.’_ War reminded them. _‘And even if it weren’t, there are worse things to lose a regeneration to than giving it to another. Because Sandshoes was right. It is our fault. The Master would not have gone after them had we not become involved. But, perhaps by doing this, we can atone for it.’_

 _‘…I wholeheartedly agree.’_ The First Doctor’s voice held a smile in it. _‘Now, young man, since you haven’t taken part in this conversation, perhaps you can get on with it, hmm?’_

The Doctor suddenly took in a sharp breath, as the world snapped into being around him once more, the voices of his previous selves fading just as quickly as he’d called them.

He knew what he had to do. The Doctor slowly walked over, looking on.

“…Give her here.” The Doctor gently ordered, Cortana’s head shooting over to him.

Despite the unmoving child, Cortana clutched the baby close. “I-I…” She stammered

“…Please.” The Doctor quietly begged. “I think… I know I can help. Please, let me try.”

Cortana, tears coating her cheeks, turned to look at John. The SPARTAN looked to her, and then the Doctor, and nodded. Cortana turned to El, who nodded after a split second.

Cortana, shaking, handed the tiny form over to the Doctor.

The Time Lord looked down at the baby. He’d held his own child dead in his arms before. Once, a long time ago… at the Fall of Arcadia during the Last Great Time War, he’d held Susan, the original Susan, who hadn’t even made it to the current Susan’s age, before a Dalek stamped her life out.

He promised another person wouldn’t have to bear that pain.

“I’m so sorry…” The Doctor swallowed. “It’s my fault the Master went after you two… but, I can start to make this right.” His skin began to glow, gold-orange particles radiating off him. “Wake up, little one.” The Doctor whispered, closing his eyes as he gave the child every ounce of energy he could spare.

Seconds passed, still, in silence, before he could feel a little twitch. And then another. And then another.

And the baby started to wail.

“Ha ha!” The Doctor whooped, beaming as he held the child aloft. “Catherine T. Halsey, welcome to the land of the living!” He grinned, passing the little girl back over to Cortana. “Congratulations, she’s a perfectly healthy baby girl!”

“H-“ Tears began falling from Cortana’s eyes, the baby’s crying stopping as she was placed into her mother’s arms, but the little spasms made it clear she was perfectly alive. “How?”

“I’m, uh-“ The Doctor bashfully blushed. “I’m on my final life, so… I used the last little bit of residual regeneration energy I had. She needed it more than I will.” The Doctor smiled, looking down at the baby.

The newborn opened her eyes and spluttered something, unintelligible to the others, but entirely understandable to the Doctor.

“She’s your mum.” The Doctor answered, smiling slightly as El and Cortana cooed over the baby, John looking over in sheer, unbridled, joy and relief.

The newborn’s eyes flickered over to John, and she blew a raspberry.

“He’s not your mum, he’s your dad.” The Doctor played with the little girl’s tiny hand. “No, I didn’t say ‘not-mum.’”

“What are you doing?” Cortana tilted her head, as the armored SPARTAN reached out to gently pluck the child out of her mother’s arms.

The Doctor looked back at Cortana and bowed. “I speak baby.”

“…You’re having me on, aren’t you?”

The Doctor winked. “I speak everything.”

****

“Here we are.” The Doctor gestured, throwing the TARDIS doors opened, as John wheeled Cortana out in a wheelchair, El walking alongside, focused on the baby the entire time. “Oh, look, somebody’s already home.”

Billy sat on the couch in the cabin’s living room, fork frozen over a plate. “…the hell?”

El waved with a smile. “Hey Billy.” She greeted, before skipping off to her room.

“Max back?” John asked.

“Yeah… a woman dropped her off.” Billy blankly stared at the TARDIS.

“Ah, good. Shepard’s good about getting people where they need to be.” The Doctor inhaled, turning back to the married couple. “…I’m sorry about the Master.”

“You couldn’t have known.” John replied.

“…I should’ve.” The Doctor frowned for a moment, ruminating to himself. “Oh well, nothing we can do about it now, it’s all in the past. Now, allow me to get out of your hair.” He pointed down at young Catherine. “You’ve got a newborn to tend to.”

“Doctor.” Cortana addressed, as the Doctor stepped into the TARDIS. “…Will she be fine?”

“Cat?” The Doctor responded, Cortana nodding. “You shouldn’t have to worry about postnatal care, I already took care of that when ‘resuscitating’ her.” He explained, with a small smile. “Don’t worry. Your baby is going to be fine. I promise.”

Cortana frowned. “Unless a green bolt of energy comes flying in out of friggin nowhere again.”

“I couldn’t predict the Dalek.” The Doctor sadly admitted. “But trust me. You don’t have anything to be concerned over. If something comes up, like a second heart or a third kidney… Well,” He shot a quick glance back at them over his shoulder. “You kept my number from last time, I hope.”

John nodded.

The Doctor grinned. “Good. Be seeing you.” He offered, slamming the TARDIS doors shut behind him. The engines engaged, and the ancient timeship vanished, faint gusts of wind kicking up indoors as it dematerialized.

Billy blinked, looking to the two. “Who the hell was that?”

Cortana sighed. “The worst family practitioner of all time.”

****

“I’m happy.” Susan stated, standing on the other side of the console, helping the Doctor fly. “You did the right thing.”

“I couldn’t just stand by.” The Doctor responded. “I had to do something.” He glanced over to her. “What did happen to the Dalek Formerly Known as Neil Hargrove?”

“Neil?” Will’s head shot up. “That thing was Max’s stepdad?”

“Used to be.” The Doctor elaborated. “What happened to it?”

“No clue.” Susan admitted. “It ran.”

The Doctor minutely nodded. “We should probably tell Gallifrey to keep an eye out for it.” He began typing a message into the panel.

“Wait, if that thing used to be Max’s stepdad…” Will began. “What happened to Max’s mom?”

Susan glanced at Will sadly. “We can probably guess…”

Will took in a breath. “…poor Max.”

“I know.” The Doctor agreed. He sniffed. “Right, Will, time to drop you back home.”

“Oh…” Will’s eyes widened. “About that…”

****

Joyce stood over the flaming rubble, the Doctor far behind her, out of slapping range, and Will stood to her side.

“What… in blazes…” Joyce began. “HAPPENED TO THE HOUSE!?”

“Don’t worry.” Will patted his mother on the shoulder. “The Doctor’ll pay for the new one.”

The Doctor spluttered, as Joyce turned on her heel, angrily marching towards him. “No fair!” The Doctor accused, as Joyce caught up. “I have a cane! You wouldn’t hit a man with a cane! OW! …oh, you hit me _with_ the cane, I see what you did the- OW!”

Will and Susan looked on, transfixed at the scene.

“So,” Susan turned back to Will. “You wanna try a take-two on that date?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's it for now, folks, I'll see y'all around christmas.


End file.
